Holographic watermarking for authentication of cut images

A watermarking technique, with a Computer Generated Hologram (CGH) coding system of the mark, is introduced and tested. The CGH watermarking can be used to authenticate parts of the original image. The hologram of the mark is embedded in the spatial domain by a blind additive embedding technique. The use of holography allows authenticating cuts of the original image, is the major novelty of this paper. The proposed methodology is characterized as an authentication technique, since it does not rely on the original image to decide whether the watermarked image has been altered or not and at the same time it is able to detect and localize any possible malicious change. Asymmetric cryptography is used to hide the hash information in an unambiguous way (non-repudiation property).     

利用有限域上的向量空间构作带仲裁的认证码

This paper is devoted to constructing an authentication code with arbitration using subspaces of vector spaces over finite fields.Moreover,if we choose the encoding rules of the transmitter and the decoding rules of the receiver according to a uniform probability distribution,then some parameters and the probabilities of successful attacks are computed.     

Ultraviolet detection of amino acids based on their on-column conjugation with cupric cation using a disposable electrophoresis microdevice

A method for fast sensitive ultraviolet detection of amino acids was developed with a disposable electrophoresis microdevice. The microdevice was conveniently constructed by fixing a fused-silica capillary with a sampling fracture to a printed circuit board. During the separation process, the on-column conjugation of amino acids with cupric cation led to the ultraviolet absorption at 232 nm that could be directly used for fast analysis of amino acids. Using 20 mM boric acid (pH 5.3) containing 5 mM cupric cation and 0.015% Tween 20 as running buffer, this method could completely separate lysine, glutamine and serine at a sampling time of 2 s at +210 V and a separation voltage of +1800 V (240 V/cm). The theoretical plate numbers were from 140,000 to 205,000 plates/m. The linear ranges were from 10 to 500 μM for lysine, 20-1000 μM for glutamine and serine. The novel protocol had been successfully used to detect amino acids in beverage samples with recovery more than 85.0%, indicating its advantages and potential analytical application in different fields.     

Analysis of benzophenone and 4-methylbenzophenone in breakfast cereals using ultrasonic extraction in combination with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS)

Benzophenone (BP) and 4-methylbenzophenone (4MBP) are photo-initiators that are generally used to cure ink on carton boards.In this contribution, a fast and reliable method for the determination of BP and 4MBP in breakfast cereals is described. The sample was extracted ultrasonically using a mixture of dichloromethane and acetonitrile (1:1), followed by a clean-up of the extract using solid phase extraction with a silica cartridge. Finally, the extract was analysed by GC-MSⁿ. Benzophenone-d₁₀ was used as internal standard. The presented method is validated in terms of linearity, recovery, repeatability and intra-laboratory reproducibility, specificity, limit of detection and limit of quantification. In conclusion, this method is able to detect both BP and 4MBP at very low concentrations (LOD = 2 μg kg⁻¹) in breakfast cereals.     

Centurion — a revolutionary irradiator

The facility characteristics for irradiation of red meat and poultry differ significantly from those of medical disposables. This paper presents the results of the market requirement definition which resulted in an innovative conceptual design. The process and the “state of the art tools” used to bring this abstract idea into a proof of concept are presented.     

Multiplex bioanalytical methods for food and environmental monitoring

Recent advances in miniaturization of analytical systems and newly emerging technologies offer platforms with greater automation and multiplexing capabilities than traditional biological binding assays. Multiplexed bioanalytical techniques provide control agencies and food industries with new possibilities for improved, more efficient monitoring of food and environmental contaminants. This review deals with recent developments in planar-array and suspension-array technologies, and their applications in detecting pathogens, food allergens and adulterants, toxins, antibiotics and environmental contaminants.     

快速去除硝酸和亚硝酸对氢化物发生原子荧光法测定砷的干扰

为了避免繁琐、耗时的"赶酸"操作, 研究了尿素结合NaOH除去微波消解液中过量的HNO3和HNO2的干扰,继用L-半胱氨酸在低酸度下将As(Ⅴ)还原为As(Ⅲ)的样品消化和预还原方法.用氢化物发生-原子荧光法准确、快速地测定了食品中痕量砷.该方法的检出限为0.03 μg/L;连续11次测定4 μg/L As(Ⅲ)标准溶液的相对标准偏差为1.6%; 测定国家标准物质的结果与标准值非常吻合.     

Analytical methods for the quantification of volatile aromatic compounds

The investigation of odorants is not an easy task, which needs to be undertaken in the context of fit-for-purpose quality systems. To date, great attention has been paid to determination of the volatile fractions of odorants, since they are responsible for the attributes of global flavor [i.e. a combination of olfactory (aroma) and gustatory (taste) sensations produced by chemicals]. This kind of determination can be carried out by analytical techniques [e.g., gas chromatography (GC) combined with mass spectrometry and/or olfactometric GC]. Methods complementary to GC analysis are available, allowing assessment of the olfactory impact by an electronic nose (e-nose) or a panel of selected individuals. Also, we consider some innovative analytical techniques to study the effects of odorants in food during consumption.     

Development of reference materials for microbiological analysis

The reliability of reference materials (RMs) depends on properties such as fitness, robustness, commutability, stability and homogeneity. The development of RMs for microbiological analysis is especially challenged through questions around the stabilisation and recovery of viable cells, the dispersion of precise numbers of cells, matrix effects and, when using molecular techniques, the presence of nucleic acids (e.g. DNA) of dead and live target organisms. However, RMs are indispensable tools for quality control in microbiological analysis. The Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM), as part of the European Commission, concentrates its efforts on the development of RMs to support the development, implementation and monitoring of EU legislation. A special focus is given to highly precise RMs for presence/absence and enumeration tests in microbiological food and water analysis. Another group of new RMs certified by the IRMM comprise DNA-based materials to control the identity of micro-organisms in qualitative assays. All of these activities serve to improve quality control in microbiological analysis. Presented at ‘BERM-10’, April 2006, Charleston, SC, USA.