Monitoring of food spoilage by high resolution THz analysis

• Published in: The Analyst
• Main Authors: Hindle, Francis, Kuuliala, Lotta, Mouelhi, Meriem, Cuisset, Arnaud, Bray, Cédric, Vanwolleghem, Mathias, Devlieghere, Frank, Mouret, Gael, Bocquet, Robin
• Other Authors: Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie de l'Atmosphère (LPCA), Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale (ULCO), Laboratoire de Photophysique Moléculaire (PPM), Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Dynamique Interactions et Réactivité (LADIR), Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut de Chimie - CNRS Chimie (INC-CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut d’Électronique, de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie - UMR 8520 (IEMN), Centrale Lille-Institut supérieur de l'électronique et du numérique (ISEN)-Université de Valenciennes et du Hainaut-Cambrésis (UVHC)-Université de Lille-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France (UPHF), Photonique THz - IEMN (PHOTONIQUE THZ - IEMN), Centrale Lille-Institut supérieur de l'électronique et du numérique (ISEN)-Université de Valenciennes et du Hainaut-Cambrésis (UVHC)-Université de Lille-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France (UPHF)-Centrale Lille-Institut supérieur de l'électronique et du numérique (ISEN)-Université de Valenciennes et du Hainaut-Cambrésis (UVHC)-Université de Lille-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France (UPHF), Food Safety and Food Quality, Universiteit Gent = Ghent University (UGENT)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2018
• Subjects: [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-INS-DET]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Instrumentation and Detectors [physics.ins-det]; [CHIM.ANAL]Chemical Sciences/Analytical chemistry; Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-01891950; https://hal.science/hal-01891950v1/document; https://hal.science/hal-01891950v1/file/Monitoring%20of%20food%20spoilage%20by%20high%20resolution%20THz%20analysis%20v13.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1039/C8AN01180J

International audience High resolution rotational Terahertz (THz) spectroscopy has been widely applied to the studies of numerous polar gas phase molecules, in particular volatile organic compounds (VOCs). During the storage of foodstuffs packed under a protective atmosphere, microbial activity will lead to the generation of a complex mixture of trace gases that could be used as food spoilage indicators. Here we have demonstrated that the THz instrumentation presently available provides sufficient sensitivity and selectivity to monitor the generation of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the headspace of packed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fillet portions. A comprehensive comparison was made by selective-ion flow-tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) in order to validate the THz measurements and protocol. The detectivity of a range of alternative compounds for this application is also provided, based on the experimental detection limit observed and molecular spectroscopic properties. Molecules like ethanol, methyl mercaptan and ammonia are suitable indicators with the presently available sensitivity levels, while dimethyl sulfide, acetone and butanone may be considered with a sensitivity improvement of 2 orders of magnitude.