Sugar analysis by a multi-sensor system: applying to honey samples
Conference Paper
Overview
Overview
abstract
Collaboration of the Portuguese National Beekeepers Federation in providing honey
samples is gratefully acknowledged
One of the emerging approaches for analysis of liquid samples with complex matrices is the
Electronic Tongue (ET) since it allows evaluating tastes by calibration, mimicking the human
tongue. The ET records a pattern of signals that depends on the matrix solution composition,
which information is extracted into qualitative and quantitative information by multivariate
statistical methods.
The chemical sensors used in these devices, usually, differ from those of the traditional
chemical sensors because they have the ability to obtain global information about the solution
(cross-sensibility sensors, the signal results from sensitization to various substances). Selectiveions
sensors (high selectivity for detecting substances) may also be included in the analytical
system, allowing cross-information as well as specific information about the sample matrix.
Recent works with ET showed the wide range of applications such as, classification of honey
(Dias, 2008), detection of milk adulterations (Dias, 2009), detection of protein levels (gliadins) in
different foodstuffs (Peres, 2011) and classification of soft drinks accordingly to different added
fruit juice contents (Dias, 2011).
Moreover, the analytical performance suggests that ETs could have a wider set of applications
as, quantification if the substances to be analysed are major compounds in the sample.
With the aim of test this hypothesis, an all-solid-state potentiometric ET was developed and
has being tested to quantify fructose and glucose contents, which are important constituents
of the food products, as an alternative tool for the quantification of these sugars in real samples.
Several multivariate data treatments for quantitative analysis of these two sugars (MLR, PLS
and others) are considered as well as, their application to the results obtained in honey samples
analysis.
