The shelf life of food products is often limited by oxidative reactions or by microbial growth. Food products that are rich in oils or fats are particularly prone to oxidation even under ambient atmosphere – they turn rancid. These changes lead to sensorial distortions (taste, odor, color) and ultimately, food products become inedible.

The food industry verifies on a daily basis the sensorial quality of ingredients. Because they are particularly sensitive, fats and oils are routinely tested for peroxide content and volatile compounds that arise during storage (commonly measured by the rancimat method). These methods allow an objective assessment of the products’ current condition without relying on subjective sensorial impressions of the testing person. However, these methods are unsuited for the prediction of oxidative reactions. For this task, the chemiluminescence technology of ACL Instruments provides a valuable alternative.