Course detail

Laboratory Classes in Food Analysis

FCH-BAO_ACP_PAcad. year: 2025/2026

The conception of laboratory exercises in analytical chemistry of food goes out from theoretical backgrounds, which students learn about in the course “Analytical Chemistry of Food I“. They consist of exercises dealing with determination of main food components (saccharides, fats, proteins), with determination of some food nutrients, e.g., vitamins and biogenous elements, contaminants and additives (colorants and conservants). The determination of other food characteristics e.g. humidity and ash is included in the laboratory, too.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

3

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

doc. Ing. Pavel Diviš, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology (ÚCHPBT)

Offered to foreign students

The home faculty only

Entry knowledge

Prerequisites: Basics of Laboratory Technique (winter semester).

Laboratory class follows up the course Food Analysis I. Students must have knowledge of basic determinations of water, dry matter, mineral substances, nitrogen compounds, sugars, polysaccharides, lipids, alcohols, preservatives, dyes, volatile compounds, titratable acids, formol number, wet gluten content, gluten swelling capacity, maltose and nitrites.

 

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Students must go through all classes and work out every protocols on satisfactory logical and formal level. Student are examined in every class (verbally or in written form). From particular marks there is calculated an arithmetic mean, which has the same importance as the final test. Protocols are controlled and discussed in every class.
Attendance is required and checked by the teacher. Student are examined in every class (verbally or in written form). From particular marks there is calculated an arithmetic mean, which has the same importance as the final test. There are controlled and discussed protocols in every class too.

Aims

The aim of the subject is to practice theoretical knowledge acquired on the lecture “Food Analysis I” in a system of practical exercises.
1. Students will acquire skills, i.e. practically carry out the determinations of water, dry matter, minerals, nitrogenous substances, carbohydrates, lipids, ethanol, sorbic acid, dyes and nitrites in food by conventional manual methods.
2. Students perform a comprehensive analysis of wine and orange juice and compare the results of their determination with the appropriate standards.
3. Students will repeat the basic laboratory methods (titration, distillation, steam distillation, extraction, thin layer chromatography) and will recognize their application in food analysis.
4. For the first time students will recognize the work with the polarimeter, the Parnass-Wagner distillation apparatus, the Soxhlet extraction apparatus, the volatile acid analyzer and quantitative assays with enzymes..
5. The class develops students' ability to correctly interpret measured results.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Basic literature

Food Analysis - Laboratory Classes. FCH VUT Brno 2007. (EN)

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme NPAP_ENVI Master's 1 year of study, summer semester, elective

Type of course unit

 

Laboratory exercise

65 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Ing. Pavel Diviš, Ph.D.

Syllabus

1) Determination of water and mineral substances.
2) Determination of nitrogenous compounds.
3) Determination of saccharides.
4) Starch and roughage.
5) Lipids.
6) Alkohols.
7) Determination of sorbic and benzoic acid.
8) Isolation and separation of synthetic food pigments.
9) Determination of various substances in wine.
10) Determination of various substances in orange juices.
11) Determination of parameters of flour.
12) Determination of pigments and nitrites in meat.