SAMPLING

METHOD
 • The action or process of taking samples of something for
analysis.
• Lot: A quantity of food or food units produced and
handled under uniform conditions.
• Sample: A number of food units that resembles the
SAMPLING characteristics of the lot
DEFINITION • A sample is a limited quantity of something which is
intended to be similar to and represent a larger amount
of that thing(s).
• The things could be countable objects such as individual
items available as units for sale, or a material not
countable as individual items.
 • Sample collection is very important to ensure that analytical
data is reliable and to draw a representative sample.

Activities in Analysis
Importance of
Sample Collection • 1- Collection of representative sample

• 2- Sample preparation

• 3-Analysis using proper methods & instruments

• Potential sources of variation for above activities to be

identified and minimized or avoided Proper sample size,
suitable containers for sampling or use of appropriate
preservatives to prevent spoilage damage before analysis.
 Precautions during sampling
• 1- The condition of the sample received for examination is of primary importance.
• 2- representative sample is essential when pathogens or toxins are sparsely distributed within
the food.
• 3- The number of units that comprise a representative sample from a designated lot of a food
product must be statistically significant.
• 4- The proper statistical sampling procedure, according to whether the food is solid, semisolid,
viscous, or liquid, must be determined by Method analysis at the time of sampling.
• 5- Clean, dry, leak-proof, wide-mouthed and sterile containers of a size suitable for sample of
the product must be used.
• 6- Sample must be submitted in original and in sealed condition.
• 7- Dry or canned foods that are not perishable and are collected at room temperatures need
not to be refrigerated.
• 8- Collect frozen samples in pre-chilled containers.
• 9- Follow storage norms
 The criteria should be considered in formulating a
sampling plan:
• 1- type of food product
• 2-the size of food articles to be sampled
Sampling • 3-the degree of hazard to human health
• 4-the potential for fraud
plan
• 5-acceptance and rejection criteria:
• A- adulteration
• B- tolerance limits
• C- compositional standards
• G- net contents
 Sampling tools and containers
• Samples collected from bulk packages or unpackaged foods sold at retail must be
placed in suitable containers for storage and handling to be presented for laboratory
analysis.
• Sampling tools:
• Common tools such as pliers, spoon, screwdriver and knife are useful for opening
containers, cutting bags of food products.
• Sample containers:
• In general,
• 1- For liquids, the Person Officer should use clean dry containers of appropriate
waterproof and leakproof material including glass, stainless metal, and suitable plastic
material which can be sterilized by heat if necessary. The containers must have a
secure closure of rubber or plastic stoppers or a screw-cap of metal or plastic coated.
• 2- For solids or semi-solids, should be used clean, dry, wide-mouth, cylindrical
receptacles of suitable water proof.
• 3- For Oil or butter, suitable wide-mouth jars should be used. The butter must not be
allowed to come into contact with the paper or any water or fat-absorbing surface.
Bulk Packages
 The Person Officer must obtain the following
Information
1. Name of the food
2. Lot number (Number of sample)
Sample 3. Container size
Collection 4. Product code numbers
Techniques: 5. Labelling information
6. Condition of the lot, i.e., broken packages,
Evidence of rodent or insect infestation,
debris
 Quantity of Food Samples to be collected for Analysis

Article of food Approximate quantity to be supplied

Milk/Sterilized Milk-UHT Milk/Milk Powder 500 ml/ 250 ml/250 gm

Yoghurt/Butter+Butter Oil+Ghee 300 gm/200 gm

Baking Powder 100 gm

Tomato Sauce/Ketchup/Tomato Paste, Jam/ Jelly/

300 gm
Marmalade/ Tomato Puree/Vegetable Sauce

Canned Foods . 6 sealed cans

Biscuits and Rusks 200 gm

Chocolates 200 gm

Pickles and Chutneys 250 gm

Oilseeds/Nuts/Dry Fruits 250 gm

Sugar sweets /Chewing Gum/Bubble Gum 200 gm

 • In order to obtain precise analytical results, the
laboratory sample must be made as homogeneous as
possible so that, within the limits of analytical method
used, the replicate analyses agree as closely as possible.

Preparation
• The purpose of sample preparation is to mix thoroughly
of Samples a large sample in the laboratory. This apparently
homogenous sample must be then reduced in size and
amount for subsequent analysis.
 1. Preparing representative small samples from large
samples
The problems 2. Loss of plant material
encountered by
the analysts in 3. Removal of extraneous material from plants
the preparation without removal of plant constituents
of samples for 4. Enzymatic changes before and during analysis
analysis include
5. Compositional changes or Metal contamination
during grinding

6. Changes in unstable components, and Special

preparation problems in analysis of oilseed materials.
The sample to be prepared should be first homogenized and the
method of homogenization will depend on the type of food being
analyzed.

A number of very efficient electrical mechanical devices are

available to reduce the size of food particles and to mix food
products thoroughly.

Mincers, graters, blenders and homogenizers (for dry, moist and wet
foods) and various types of powder mills or grinders are essential
equipment in a food laboratory. Both the nature of food material
and the analysis to be performed must be considered in the
selection of instrument for grinding.

Taking samples from one substance to another changes and the

way to get samples is different:-
 Preparation of dry food samples
• Dry foods needs to be ground to at least coarse powder by means of a
mechanical grinder and then mix thoroughly with a spoon or spatula.

• Bulk samples of dry or powdery foods can be reduced in size by the process
known as quartering

Quartering Process
• For grinding of dry materials, mechanical methods range from the simple pestle to elaborate and
effective devices for grinding.
• For fine grinding of dry materials, power-driven hammer mills are widely used.
• Hammer mills are used to grind such materials as cereals, oil meals and most
foods, which are reasonably dry and do not contain excessively high amounts of oil or fat. Grinding
of oil seeds or oil rich samples present special problems.
• Dried fruits should be passed through chopper three times and mixed
thoroughly.
• If needed, initially, grinding can be done by coarse cutting blade.
• During sampling, it is important to keep the chemical, physical and enzymatic degradation of lipids
to a minimum.

Hammer mills
 Preparation of moist solid foods
• Moist solid foods such as meat products are best homogenized by chopping rather than mincing
• Cheese and chocolates are best grated followed by hand mixing of the, rated material
For disintegrations of moist materials various fine-slicing devices are available
• Some moist materials are disintegrated best by bowl cutters (leafy vegetables, fleshy tubers
and roots) or meat mincers (fruits, roots and meat products).
• Chilled ball mills can be used to grind frozen materials without preliminary grinding.
Grinding of frozen foods reduces undesirable chemical changes.
• The commercially available tissue grinders are also used for small sample of soft
material For preparation of sample of fresh fruits and vegetables,
• first of all it is essential to remove adhering soil or sand by washing or wiping with damp cloth.
Excessive washing should be avoided to prevent leaching of soluble solids. Then, separate the fresh
tissues into core, outer and inner tissue depending on the objectives of analysis.
• For large size fruits and vegetable

• 1- cut these in four/eight equal portions containing inner to outer portion of fruits or
vegetables

• 2- Remove the pits from the flesh of stone fruits and then comminute the prepared
material in the blender.

• For canned fruits and vegetables if analysis is to be made on the composite sample,
mix and comminute the entire contents. But, if analyses are to be made on solid and
liquid portions separately, drain the contents on a sieve and comminute the solid
matter or collect the liquid as required for analysis.
 Preparation of semi-solid/liquid foods
• Fluid foods are best emulsified by top or bottom driven blenders.
• Fruit juice beverages containing insoluble matter, should be blended using
high-speed blender to get uniform sample
• Pureed products such as tomato puree, ketchup, fruit pulps and strained fruits
and vegetables should be thoroughly shaken before sampling.
• Gentle warming and mixing easily prepare oils and fats.
• Butter and margarine may be re-emulsified by shaking by hand in a
glass jar after warming to 35°C to melt the fat.
 PACKING AND SEALING THE SAMPLES
• 1- In order to maintain integrity, packages containing exhibits should be secured or sealed to prove
their authenticity, i.e., why ? to ensure that they could not have been tampered
• The stopper shall first be securely fastened why ?so as to prevent leakage of the contents in transit
• 2- The bottle, jar, or another container shall then be completely wrapped in fairly strong thick paper.
The ends of the paper shall be neatly folded in
• 3- and affixed by means of gum or other adhesive.
• 4- A paper slip of the size that goes round completely from the bottom to top of the container
• 5- bearing the signature of the Designated Officer and code number and phone number and date or
time of the sample shall be pasted on the wrapper, the signature or thumb impression of the person
from whom the sample has been taken, shall be affixed in such a manner that the paper slip and the
wrapper both carry a part of this signature or the thumb impression
 DISPATCH OF SAMPLE
• All samples packaged for dispatch must be secured with shock-
absorbing materials to protect them from damage and route.

• Samples of frozen foods to be sent overnight may be packed in

insulated cartons containing dry ice that will last for that length of time.

• If special precautions in handling or storing samples are needed, the

person Officer should ensure that persons who will be handling the
samples are informed.
•Thank you for listening
•See you next lecture