Measuring chemical deterioration of foods

Abstract Chemical deterioration can affect the quality and safety of food products. This chapter is aimed at providing a better understanding of chemical deterioration in food, including its cause, influence on food quality and available detection methods. Specifically, major types of chemical deterioration are presented, such as enzymatic deterioration, nonenzymatic browning, lipid oxidation, protein oxidation, vitamin and pigment degradation. Currently available methods for detection of chemical deterioration in food are also overviewed, including sensory evaluation, physic and chemical analysis, spectroscopic and chromatographic methods as well as electronic nose, electronic tongue, and electronic eye.