Detection of adulteration in food based on nondestructive analysis techniques: a review

Abstract

In recent years, people pay more and more attention to food quality and safety, which are significantly relating to human health. Food adulteration is a world-wide concerned issue relating to food quality and safety, and it is difficult to be detected. Modern detection techniques (high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometer, etc.) can accurately identify the types and concentrations of adulterants in different food types. However, the characteristics as expensive, low efficient and complex sample preparation and operation limit the use of these techniques. The rapid, nondestructive and accurate detection techniques of food adulteration is of great and urgent demand. This paper introduced the principles, advantages and disadvantages of the nondestructive analysis techniques and reviewed the applications of these techniques in food adulteration screen in recent years. Differences among these techniques, differences on data interpretation and future prospects were also discussed.

Keywords:

• Adulteration
• detection
• food safety
• nondestructive techniques

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Author contributions

Yong He, Xiulin Bai, Fei Liu and Chu Zhang conceived and designed the survey. Yong He, Xiulin Bai, Qinlin Xiao, Lei Zhou and Chu Zhang drafted the manuscript. Chu Zhang critically revised the draft.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National key R&D program of China (2018YFD0101002, 2017YFD0700501) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (61705195, 31471417).