Biosensors for Food Analysis

While medicine has provided the main driving force behind biosensor development to date, biosensor technology has been slow to penetrate the food industry. Biosensors for Food Analysis reviews the current status of research and commercial developments in this field. It brings food researchers in industry and the academic world up to date on biosensor technology, and identifies 'state of the art' biosensor applications. This book reviews the possibilities of biosensors for food analysis, their capacity for on-the-spot measurement of a wide range of analytes and their ability to monitor complex biochemical parameters during the production or processing of foods. It examines several opportunities for biosensor applications within the food industry supply chain, for instance to indicate the quality and seasonal variation of natural resources. It looks at the way biosensors can be used as spoilage indicators, acting as artificial noses that can smell 'off-taints' or 'garden-freshness'. In addition, the book examines a method for using biosensors to measure the presence of pesticides in drinking water. Biosensors for Food Analysis takes account of the diversity of the food industry, and the specifications which biosensors would have to meet in real applications. It brings food researchers up to date on currently available technology in this growing field, and will be of interest to biochemists, microbiologists and food scientists in research associations and academic institutions.