Detection of meat-borne trimethylamine based on nanoporous colorimetric sensor arrays.

Trimethylamine (TMA) is a key measurement indicator for meat spoilage. In order to develop simple, cheap, and sensitive sensors for TMA detection, a nanoporous colorimetric sensor array (NCSA) was developed. A sol-gel method has been used to obtain TiO2 nanoporous film as substrate material to improve the sensitivity and stability of the CSA. The sensor enabled the visual detection of TMA gas from the permissible exposure limits (PEL) 10 ppm to 60 ppb concentrations with significant response. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to characterize the functional relationship between the color difference data and TMA concentrations. Furthermore, the NCSA was used to predict the presence of TMA in Yao-meat. A partial least square (PLS) prediction model was obtained with the correlation coefficients of 0.896 and 0.837 in calibration and prediction sets, respectively. This research suggested that the NCSA offers a useful technology for quality evaluation of TMA in meat.

Determination of total flavonoids content in fresh Ginkgo biloba leaf with different colors using near infrared spectroscopy.

Total flavonoids content is often considered an important quality index of Ginkgo biloba leaf. The feasibility of using near infrared (NIR) spectra at the wavelength range of 10,000-4000cm(-1) for rapid and nondestructive determination of total flavonoids content in G. biloba leaf was investigated. 120 fresh G. biloba leaves in different colors (green, green-yellowish and yellow) were used to spectra acquisition and total flavonoids determination. Partial least squares (PLS), interval partial least squares (iPLS) and synergy interval partial least squares (SiPLS) were used to develop calibration models for total flavonoids content in two colors leaves (green-yellowish and yellow) and three colors leaves (green, green-yellowish and yellow), respectively. The level of total flavonoids content for green, green-yellowish and yellow leaves was in an increasing order. Two characteristic wavelength regions (5840-6090cm(-1) and 6620-6880cm(-1)), which corresponded to the absorptions of two aromatic rings in basic flavonoid structure, were selected by SiPLS. The optimal SiPLS model for total flavonoids content in the two colors leaves (r(2)=0.82, RMSEP=2.62mg g(-1)) had better performance than PLS and iPLS models. It could be concluded that NIR spectroscopy has significant potential in the nondestructive determination of total flavonoids content in fresh G. biloba leaf.