Development of new processes and analytical methodologies for efficient and fast analysis of foodstuffs focussed on the culinary field

Abstract

Nowadays, it has been proved that a healthy and varied source of food is the base that provides a better health and therefore it prolongs and increases the hope, well-being and quality of human lives. In this Doctoral Thesis there have been carried out studies related to the quality of the food and suitability for it consumption. Concretely, most of the performed studies were centered on the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). On the one hand, some studies were carried out to evaluate a possible metallic pollution in tomato plant and fruit samples collected in different orchards of the Basque Country, using the analytical destructive technique ICP-MS, in order to be able to establish the pollution or accumulative trends in different parts of the plant (root, stem, leaf and fruit) and the soil where they grew up. Additionally, it was used a non destructive technique such as the Fluorescence of X-rays (XRF) to determine the distribution of the detectable metals through this technique (image XRF) in different parts of the plant (root, stem, leaf and fruit). Later studies were performed for the characterization of the organic compounds that are in the fruit of the tomato by means of Raman spectroscopy. This technique was applied in order to evaluate the ripeness of this fruit. On the other hand, in collaboration with the Azurmendi restaurant, different studies were carried out to generate natural aromas and to develop a technique to recreate them. Thus, a different concept was created to aromatize a food. For that purpose, two devices were built. The first one was made to recreate and generate natural aromas without any type of additives. The second one was done to entrap and release the aromas in the selected place.