Evaluation of the Performance of a Portable Mid-Infrared Analyzer for the Rapid Determination of Total Trans Fat in Fast Food

The performance of a novel, transmission‐mode, portable, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analyzer was evaluated and compared to that of a benchtop attenuated total reflection (ATR)‐FTIR spectrometer. The total concentration of trans fatty acids in the fat extracted from 19 representative fast foods was rapidly (<5 min) quantified in a single measurement after conversion to fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). While the FTIR determination is rapid, the time required for extraction and derivatization is not. For all extracts, the total trans FAME concentration varied from approximately 0.5 to 11 % (of total FAME) as determined using the portable FTIR analyzer. The trans fat contents (mean ± SD), expressed in grams per serving and calculated on the basis of total fat content and FTIR determination of trans fat content, were found to be 1.00 ± 0.42 for hamburgers, 0.67 ± 0.78 for chicken tenders, 1.00 ± 1.24 for French fries, and 0.27 ± 0.23 for apple pies. Determinations of total trans‐unsaturated FAME were consistent with those obtained by use of ATR‐FTIR and GC official methods (AOCS Cd 14e‐09 and AOCS Ce 1j‐07, respectively). These results indicate that the portable FTIR analyzer is suitable for the rapid and routine quantification of total trans fat measured as FAME prepared from fats extracted from fast foods.     

Influence of Brazilian Geographic Region and Organic Agriculture on the Composition and Crystallization Properties of Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter (CB) is the most important ingredient in chocolate and represents the biggest share in the continuous phase of this product. The accurate composition of CB depends, among other factors, on the genetic characteristics of the cocoa tree, its agricultural handling and the farming region's climate. The influences of the cocoa‐producing region in Brazil and the agricultural cultivation method on the composition and crystallization properties of CB are presented in this article. Raw CB was extracted from fruits cultivated in six main Brazilian states using two agricultural methods, organic and conventional. The samples were evaluated according to fatty acids, triacylglycerol composition, solid fat content, consistency, melting behavior and isothermal crystallization. The wide range of cocoa‐producing regions in Brazil causes the distinct characteristics of the chemical composition and crystallization behavior of the CB, attributes that affect the quality of products using this raw material. Differences in consistency, hardness and crystallization parameters, among others, were observed. The results showed the great potential of using Brazilian CB with similar features to those of African and Asian origin, considered more appropriate for use in chocolates. However, no clear tendency concerning the agricultural method was found.