Food & Beverage

Food and beverage analysis refers to the screening of edible goods to ensure they meet desired provenance, authenticity, or safety requirements. This analysis may be used to identify or verify a variety of factors, such as ingredient origin or the presence of unwanted chemicals. For example, isotopic analysis (e.g. δ¹³C, δ¹⁷O, or δ¹⁸O) can be used to discern a beverage’s water source or the origin of its sweetener (e.g. corn syrup versus sugar). Other testing can quantify potentially toxic levels of substances, such as hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), which is sometimes used as a food-bleaching agent. Monitoring typically takes place via in-lab spectroscopic testing.