Considera

Standardization of the Biocrystallization Method for Carrot Samples

Nicolaas Busscher, Johannes Kahl, Jens-Otto Andersen, Machteld Huber, Gaby Mergardt, Paul Doesburg, Marianne Paulsen, Angelika Ploeger

ABSTRACT
The growing organic market demands methods which can describe food quality within the organic
system (authentication). Several studies indicate that methods, such as the biocrystallization
method, are suitable for this question. More or less reproducible crystallization patterns emerge
when an aqueous dihydrate cupric chloride solution with plant extract is crystallized on a glass
dish. The emerging patterns are characteristic of sample material. To be applied in routine analysis
for example for authentication of organic products, the biocrystallization method has to be
standardized. After the laboratory process was documented and a computerized pattern evaluation
tool was further developed and applied, the method was standardized for selected carrot samples,
which is described here. For standardization, several factors of influence were tested and the
reproducibility between three different laboratories in the EU was investigated. The method is able
to differentiate patterns from samples from different farming treatments and processing steps as
statistically significant. This represents a significant step forward beyond the state of the art.