Quick Test for Evaluating Processed Food Quality

Quick test for quality check of processed food will be handy for Defence Forces. Acidity being one of the most important quality parameters, as per the ASC, BIS, PFA specifications, limits have been laid down as not to exceed 2 per cent in meat and fish products, 0.1 per cent in cereal products, 1.25 per cent in ice cream powder, 1.5 per cent in milk powder, 0.3 per cent in sweetened condensed milk, and 0.15 per cent in butter. In the present study, a simple, quick, semi-quantitative test has been developed for checking acidity in processed foods to ascertain their quality. The test is based on a colour reaction with the sample. The test solution gives blue to green to yellow colour depending on the concentration of acid in the sample. Green colour is the cut-off point for non-acceptance. The large number of samples of meat (155), fish products (48), cereal products (222), ice cream powder (200), butter (200), milk powder (200) and sweetened condensed milk (202) were analysed by the quick test method and the results were compared with those from the standard titrimetric method. Acidity ranged form 0.68 per cent to 2.40 per cent in meat products, 0.70 per cent to 2.50 per cent in fish products, 0.06 per cent to 1.25 per cent in butter, 0.60 per cent to 1.91 per cent in milk powder, 0.05 per cent to 0.54 per cent in ice cream powder, 0.32 per cent to 0.60 per cent in sweatened condensed milk, 0.05 per cent to 1.10 per cent in cereal products. Some samples were found to be unacceptable having acidity more than the specified limits. The data were analysed statistically and the quick test was found to correlate very well with the standard titrimetric method.