Elemental Analysis of Foodstuff:
Sample Preparation and Measurement Techniques

Vasiliy Rosen, The Faculty of Agriculture, The Interdepartmental Equipment Unit, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel

What elements we determine in food and why?
Sampling and sample pre-treatment (drying, grinding). Sample preparation: dry and wet digestion techniques. Wet acid digestion: hot-block, open and close microwave-assisted acid digestion. Alkaline extraction.
Elemental analysis techniques: Atomic spectrometry (Absorption Spectrometry (AA, AA+GF), Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES, Flame Photometry. Mass-Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Thermometric titration (determination of Na, K, Ca, Mg and Cl in food). Speciation techniques.

Practical aspects of food analysis: examples from laboratory: elemental analysis of edible plants, meat products, enteral nutrition formulae, wine, tea.