Nutrition and Sensory Analysis

Research topics

Nutrition

We analyse the composition of foods and food ingredients and assess their nutritional value. We also examine foods intended for special dietary uses. We determine the protein, fat, and carbohydrate content in foods, as well as in daily diets designed for various dietary requirements and alternative diets (vegetarian, vegan, ketogenic). In fats, we analyse the composition of fatty acids and sterols. We assess the minimum durability of foods, monitor the oxidative stability of food products as well as of fats and oils themselves, and evaluate the effect of antioxidants.

• Development and optimisation of methods for the determination of optical and configurational isomers of fatty acids in lipids
• Long-term monitoring of the fatty acid composition of fats in various food products, and its nutritional assessment, particularly with regard to the content of trans-unsaturated and saturated fatty acids
• Development and optimisation of methods for the determination of sterols and their oxidation products in lipids
• Monitoring of the fatty acid composition of the fat in functional foods and food supplements, and its nutritional assessment, particularly with regard to the content of omega-6 and omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids
• Research into the decontamination of protein hydrolysates in model systems, with subsequent application on an industrial scale
• Research into the operating conditions of physical refining and their impact on the quality of vegetable oils

Our collaborations
EMCO, Glencore Agriculture, PREOL, a.s., FABIO PRODUKT spol. s r.o., BIOENERGO KOMPLEX s.r.o., LYCKEBY CULINAR a.s., Rawvolution, s.r.o., Partner in Pet Food CZ s.r.o., VAFO PRAHA s.r.o., GASTON, s.r.o.
Food evaluations in tests: Czech Television, MF DNES, dTEST, Téma, TV Nova, Blesk

3-MCPD and 3-MCPD Esters with Fatty Acids

We are expanding our knowledge of the occurrence and reactivity of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) and other chloropropanols, process contaminants discovered in our laboratory by Prof. Velíšek. Since the first publication concerning their discovery in 1978, there have been significant global changes in the technologies used for the production of protein hydrolysates and the refining of edible oils.

• Research into endogenous food contaminants; development, validation, and implementation of GC/MS methods for the determination of chloropropanols in food
• Development and optimisation of a method for the determination of optical isomers of chloropropanols in food
• Development, validation, and implementation of GC/MS methods for the determination of chloropropanol esters in food
• Study of the kinetics of formation and degradation of chloropropanols and their esters in model systems
• Study of the formation of chloropropanols in heat-treated foods
• Long-term monitoring of chloropropanol levels in food raw materials and products

Sensory Analysis

We specialise in the sensory evaluation of food raw materials, foodstuffs, beverages, cosmetic products, and other industrial products, including packaging materials. In our Sensory Analysis Laboratory, equipped in accordance with international ISO standards, we organise seminars to train assessors from companies in the food industry and other sectors. We can support sensory evaluation by determining the profile of aromatic compounds, thereby identifying the causes of undesirable odours and flavours.

We organise Sensory Analysis seminars focused on assessor assessment in accordance with ISO standards, including the issuance of a "Certificate." This Certificate confirms that the selected assessor meets the requirements for professional competence in assessing the organoleptic properties of food:

• Sensory evaluation and volatile compound profile of historic apple cultivars
• Sensory profile of vanilla aroma and its perception by Czech assessors

Our collaboration
Nestlé, Mattoni, Kofola, Pivovary CZ Group, MADETA, EMCO, Vilgain, Zeelandia, Intersnack, LIDL, PennyMarket, Albert Czech Republic, MAKRO, Czech Chamber of Food Industry, MILCOM, Dairy Research Institute, regional public health authorities, Association of Industrial Mills of the Czech Republic, Cerea, TIPAFROST, LE & CO – Ing. Jiří Lenc, Dr. Oetker

We are the expert guarantor of the ‘Royal and Select Cucumber – Znojmo’ competition.