Automated Analysis for Asparagine Content in Food

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc introduced an easy and rapid automated method to analyse asparagine, a major amino acid commonly found in food. Asparagine reacts with reducing sugars like glucose at temperatures above 160°C to produce acrylamide, a suspected carcinogen. Formation of acrylamide is a concern in the processing of fried, baked or roasted processed foods such as potato chips or french fries, baked cereals and roasted coffee beans.

The simple and effective automated photometric method employs the Thermo Scientific Arena analyser for the determination of asparagine levels in both raw and processed foods. In addition to an easy asparagine test, Arena system applications are available for measuring reducing sugars that are an integral part of acrylamide formation.

All Arena products – the Arena 20, 20XT, 30 and 60 – utilise disposable multicell cuvette technology to provide true discrete analysis, virtually eliminating carryover.

To reduce determination time, several analytes can be measured simultaneously from a single sample, and several blanking possibilities are available to eliminate interfering substances like the sample matrix effects. Arena analysers are designed for true walk-away analysis and minimum reagent consumption, thus lowering operating costs and minimising waste.

The Arena application menu covers a wide selection of optimized solutions for industrial purposes, including wine, juice, milk, honey, special food, fertilizers and detergent tests. Bar-coded Arena system reagents are available for fructose, glucose, sucrose, ethanol, lactic and malic acid determinations.

These ready-to-use system kits eliminate time-consuming reagent preparation, allowing full automation and cost savings.