Use of Oxygen Analyzer for Oxygen Uptake Tests on Encapsulated Citrus Flavors

M.A. Bošković, T.J. O'Driscoll, J.A. Fioriti and T. Ivančić

Kraft General Foods, Inc., General Foods USA 250 North Street, White Plains, NY 10625, USA

Article history:
Received June 17, 1994
Accepted September 26, 1994

Summary:
Gas chromatograph with a thermal conductivity detector has been used to measure oxygen uptake in order to probe particle structure and to predict relative storage stability of encapsulated citrus flavors. Alternatively, changes of headspace oxygen concentration over a sample placed in a hermetically closed container can be followed with a cheaper/simpler instrument, oxygen analyzer. Oxygen analyzer is much more compact, requires less maintenance, and is more suitable for routine research use or manufacturing quality control applications than gas chromatograph. We compared critically MOCON HS 750 Oxygen Analyzer (Modern Controls, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA) vs. gas chromatograph in oxygen uptake tests on blanks and on samples with extremes of low and high percent residual oxygen (encapsulated citrus flavors, bread crumbs and chicken fat). Statistical analysis indicated satisfactory performance of oxygen analyzer without loss of accuracy or precision. Oxygen-analyzer based method is now permanently used in our flavor technology laboratory. The method has also been successfuly introduced to and applied by the quality control personnel in a manufacturing plant.