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Laser Picks
Up Unlabeled Aspartame |
| From
Dr. Betty Martini D.Hum |
| A laser can discover in a few seconds any toxic substances in the food
directly on the counters of shops, markets and supermarkets. It is not science fiction but an innovative technology developed by ENEA combat food fraud, failing to detect the presence of toxic substances such as histamine in fish, due to poor storage, or adulteration of milk powder containing compounds generally used for adhesives and plastics such as melamine. The laser-Fraud was developed by researchers at the Center of Frascati along with six industrial partners within the three-year project SAL @ CQO funded with ¤ 3 million from the Ministry of Economic Development. These anti-counterfeiting technologies are also able to detect in fruit juices by adding water and sweeteners are not declared on the label, olive nell'extravergine the presence of cheap vegetable oils and wine excessive methanol content. "We have developed an innovative optical instrumentation, based on infrared laser technology, which allows to detect food fraud and ensure the quality and safety of the food that ends up on our tables, - said Gianfranco Jubilee of Diagnostic Laboratory and Metrology of ' AENEAS. - For now we are in the testing phase, but we are aiming to achieve in a short time transportable and handy tools for quick and accurate analysis of food both in the store that the place of production, to be entrusted to institutions that deal with monitoring and all those industries and distribution chains that link to maintain a high standard of quality. "And all this will be possible without resort to highly specialized personnel." The researchers ENEA team looks well and is already testing portable instruments in which the laser beam can travel along an optical fiber or even be replaced by an LED. But it does not rule out also create miniaturized systems, and smartphone apps that allow the consumer to make a food screening in a few seconds you are going to buy, to see if it is quality and it has been well preserved, respecting such chain cold as if frozen. "Currently - he adds the researcher Adriana Puiu - there are tools on the market with these characteristics, so that the anti-fraud controls are based on complex laboratory tests that require time-consuming, expensive equipment and specialized personnel. "The results of our project give hope to arrive soon in rapid quality control, reliable and simple to perform." So far, the anti-fraud ENEA technology has been tested on various food products such as fish and fruit juices. In the first case the laser system made it possible to detect the presence of histamine, a toxic molecule that is formed when the catch is old or not well preserved (in 2013 caused thousands of poisoning throughout Europe). In the case of histamine, which mainly tuna, sardines, mackerel and anchovies, are useless cooking, freezing and canning, and the only weapon to defend consumers is the preventive control that prevents the product goes into the shopping cart. In fruit juices and soft drinks in the light hi-tech system ENEA has been able to detect and distinguish the presence and quantity of five sweeteners (fructose, glucose, maltose, sucrose and aspartame) not declared on the label. More information on aspartame on www.mpwhi.com, vwww.dorway.com (coming soon), www.wnho.net, www.holisticmed.com/aspartame Dr. Betty Martini, D.Hum, Founder Mission Possible World Health Intl www.mpwhi.com |