Simultaneous detection of trace adulterants in food based on multi-molecular infrared (MM-IR) spectroscopy

• Published in: Talanta (Oxford) 2021-01, Vol.222, p.121325-121325, Article 121325
• Main Authors: Xie, Jun, Pan, Qiannan, Li, Feili, Tang, Yuyi, Hou, Shiwei, Xu, Changhua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Flour; Flour - analysis; Food; Food Contamination - analysis; Infrared spectroscopy; Least-Squares Analysis; MM-IR; Rapid detection; Spectrophotometry, Infrared; Trace adulterant
• ISSN: 0039-9140; 1873-3573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2020.121325

Simultaneously rapid detection of trace adulterants in the complex systems of food without extraction is considered highly challenging. Herein, a high-throughput and rapid methodology, multi-molecular infrared (MM-IR) spectroscopy was developed for simultaneous detection of multiple trace adulterants in food. Flour was applied to demonstrate the capabilities of MM-IR with spatial resolution, spectral qualitative and quantitative analysis. Signals of 5 trace adulterants (rongalit, potassium bromate, borax, aluminum potassium sulfate and fluorescent brighter) were spatially revealed by IR hyperspectral imaging with group-peak matching, and further unveiled spectrally with second derivative two dimensional correlation infrared (SD-2DCOS IR) spectroscopy for higher resolution. Moreover, quantitative analysis of trace adulterants was conducted with partial least squares (PLS) modeling in ppm level. Composed of the above techniques and a series of resolution enhancement techniques (MW-2DCOS IR, 2T-2DCOS IR, etc.), MM-IR presented significant advantages on simultaneous detection of trace adulterants in food and therefore possessed the potential for food comprehensive analysis. [Display omitted] •A high-throughput and rapid methodology, multi-molecular infrared (MM-IR) spectroscopy was developed for simultaneous detection of multiple trace adulterants in food.•Trace adulterants can be detected from aspects of spatial resolution, spectral qualitative analysis and spectral quantitative analysis with MM-IR.•MM-IR has the potential to be an ideal method to conduct both simultaneous and multi component analysis in food.