Application of quantum cascade laser to rapid detection of food adulteration
L. Fiorani, F. Artuso, I. Giardina, M. Nuvoli, F. Pollastrone
ENEA Frascati Research Center, Frascati, Italy
Keywords: quantum cascade laser application, laser spectroscopy, photoacoustic technique, agrofood chain, rapid detection of food frauds, juice adulteration with added sugars
Abstract
Economically motivated adulterations (EMAs) of food and juice are a serious threat to our health. Although several accurate analytical methods are available to detect fraudulent ingredients in the supply chain, fast and user-friendly techniques are still missing, especially if reliable deployment in industrial settings is needed. After many years of application of laser photoacoustic spectroscopy (LPAS) to food fraud detection with CO2 lasers, the Diagnostic and Metrology Laboratory of ENEA developed a portable and robust prototype based on a quantum cascade laser (QCL) to rapidly and easily identify EMAs in real scenarios. Fruit juice was used as a case study to evaluate its performance. Two EMAs were sensed in a few minutes and chemometrics tools allowed their quantification
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