Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy for Quality Determination of Fruits and Vegetables

Abstract

To investigate chemical reactions and molecular structures, biochemists and chemists are using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, because of its versatile analytical techniques and being a powerful spectroscope. Nuclear magnetic resonance is used to study materials of liquid and solid nature and has become one of the most favored technology to be applied in the field of food technology and science for qualitative and quantitative analysis of various food products, fruit products, vegetables, meat and meat products, milk and milk products, and several alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. In the early 20th century, nuclear magnetic resonance was only limited to analysis of moisture content in food products because of its low resolution. In several foods matrix high resolution studies were conducted using nuclear magnetic resonance. Another type of nuclear magnetic resonance technology is magnetic resonance imaging also called MRI, which is being extensively utilized to study food products. Several techniques have been developed by the scientist to use MRI and NMR spectroscopy in the field of food Science and technology. Process optimization for online process monitoring was 200difficult by employing traditional analytical techniques which were time consuming as well as destroy the sample. X-ray transmission, sonication, vibration and light microscope are non-destructive techniques that can be employed for the quality analysis of food products. However, these techniques were unable to give data about complex physical properties of food products. As an alternative nuclear magnetic resonance was used for the online monitoring of a process. To analyze bio process in biological science nuclear magnetic resonance technique was successfully developed by scientists. Nuclear magnetic resonance technology has successfully been employed online food monitoring process. Food industries and control agencies have extensively utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to warrant the food safety and quality of food products to meet consumer needs and expectations.