Nutrition and Food Chemistry

Food and Drug Analysis

Food and drug analysis is a crucial field that ensures the safety, quality, and effectiveness of food products and pharmaceuticals. It involves scientific techniques to detect contaminants, verify ingredient authenticity, and assess compliance with regulatory standards. These analyses help protect public health by preventing the distribution of unsafe or mislabeled products. In food analysis, laboratory testing identifies harmful substances such as pesticides, heavy metals, pathogens, and additives that may pose health risks. Techniques like chromatography, spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry are used to assess food composition, detect adulteration, and verify nutritional content. This ensures that food meets safety regulations and maintains its intended nutritional value. Drug analysis, on the other hand, focuses on evaluating pharmaceutical products for potency, purity, and stability. It ensures that medications contain the correct active ingredients and do not have harmful impurities. Methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) help detect counterfeit drugs, analyze dosage forms, and ensure compliance with health regulations. Both food and drug analysis are vital for consumer safety and regulatory enforcement. Advances in analytical techniques continue to improve quality control, enhance transparency, and protect consumers from fraudulent or hazardous products in the market.