water (3)

13348625254?profile=RESIZE_400xThis thesis (open access) set out to prove the concept that multi-spectral imaging  (MSI) could be used to build a classification model to differentiate chicken breast with undeclared added water from that with no, or legally-permitted low, added water content.

The researcher built a model based upon an in-house reference set of chicken breast samples; 12 with no added water, 12 with water added at a level that need not be legally declared (3 – 5%) and 12 with water added at a level that should be legally declared on-pack (9-11%).  The protein/water content of the samples was then calculated using classical analysis, in order to label the MSI scans.  MSI used two cameras , FX10 and  FX17.  After annotation, the samples were saved and analysed in MATLAB for model development

The researcher concluded that the method holds promise but would need a much more robust database.  With this limited database, the model could distinguish added-water from non-added-water samples but could not robustly distinguish between amounts of added water which would be legal if undeclared and those which would not be legal.

Photo by Philippe Zuber on Unsplash

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13331299095?profile=RESIZE_400xWater-injected meat leads to microbial growth risk, as well as being economic fraud.

In this study (purchase required) the authors designed and tested a colorimetric porous polymer microneedle patch to detect added water.  Microneedle patches consist of hundreds to thousands of tiny needles, usually only tens to hundreds of microns long, which can extract tissue fluids and transport the extracted molecules to the backing layer for colour displaying. There is no need for sample preparation and often no need to open the packaging.

In this case, detection was designed and prepared using photopolymerization of an acrylate monomer with a porogen substrate and cobalt (II) chloride as colour change indicator and tartrazine as the reference. The colour of the microneedle patch changed from green to yellow with increased moisture concentration.

The authors reported that this discoloration trend of the microneedle patch during the moisture measurement of meat was very regular. The moisture measurement of meat in range of 66.9 %–75.7 % exhibited a good linear dependence on RGB values. The results indicated that the microneedle patch can visually determine the moisture content of meat in 3 minutes. It can be combined with a smartphone as a quantitative reader.

Photo by Philippe Zuber on Unsplash

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10390258488?profile=RESIZE_710xAn investigation, conducted by the carabinieri of the Nas of Ancona and coordinated by the magistrates of Ascoli started from a report of non-compliance of the milk carried out by the expert who has been working in the field of the milk industry for years as a quality "controller". The tanker involved had a double bottom that was invisible to the human eye and could be operated by the haulier who presses that button at the most appropriate time to bypass any checks and carry out his plan: mix milk with water. 

For the leaders of Trevalli the fact was considered as "isolated" and immediately denounced. But according to the expert, it should be seen as a "system" as it is "unthinkable" that a similar investment, with the transformation of the vehicle into a complex system of retractable hatches, is made by the individual haulier without periodic gain. 

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