Tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) is an effective anti-oxidant in edible oils. It is an approved additive for this use (preservative in oils) in the EU – E319. However, it has a poor reputation in the media and amongst some consumer groups, and many packaged food brand-owners and large restaurant chains have internal polices that prohibit its use due to “clean label” or customer safety concerns. TBHQ is therefore a prime candidate for undeclared use in the business-to-business supply of edible oils or for inclusion above the maximum levels conditional to its legal use.
This paper (purchase required) reports the development and validation of a point-of-use test strip to detect TBHQ in edible oils. The fluorescent immunochromatographic assay can be read within 15 min, and semi-quantified using a smartphone reader. The limit of quantification was calculated as 003 ug/mL.
Photo by Roberta Sorge on Unsplash
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