A mobile analytical device for on-site quantitation of anthocyanins in fruit beverages

这项NSERC Engage Grant申请将启动Yu博士在西蒙弗雷泽大学的**研究团队与当地制造公司Laca Biotech Inc.之间的一个短期合作项目，开发一种**移动分析设备，用于现场比色定量水果饮料中的花青素。**花青素是主要存在于水果和花朵中的水溶性红色、紫色和蓝色植物色素；它们**报告的抗氧化活性与健康声明有关，如延长寿命、改善**心血管功能和预防癌症/痴呆症。拟议的移动分析设备将使**小规模生产商和酿酒厂能够对原材料和最终**产品的质量进行可靠的评估，并评估生产实践。由于现有技术通常需要先进的**仪器、密集的样品制备和雇用训练有素的人员，按需便携式**设备将在制造成本低、快速检测和适应**消费电子产品(智能手机/垫/扫描仪)方面提供巨大的优势。**具体地说，研究将专注于台式微芯片的设计和测试，该芯片将采用分析社区协会于2005年建立的**pH差法。新设备将**对照已建立的分光光度方案和其他实验室技术进行验证，例如用于标准样品和饮料样品中花青素定量的液体**层析和电泳法。**该项目的成功完成将发展SFU和Laca Biotech**Inc.之间的联系和促进关系，并导致在应用分析化学方面扩大本地和全国食品和饮料行业质量控制方面的合作。该项目的实施还将为SFU的研究生和来自当地行业的研究技术人员提供良好的研发培训**机会。

This NSERC Engage Grant application will initiate a short-term collaborative project between Dr. Yu's**research team at Simon Fraser University and a local manufacturing company, Laca Biotech Inc. to develop a**mobile analytical device for the on-site colorimetric quantitation of anthocyanins in fruit beverages.**Anthocyanins are water-soluble red, purple, and blue plant pigments found mostly in fruits and flowers; their**reported antioxidant activities are associated with health claims such as increased longevity, improved**cardiovascular function, and prevention of cancer/dementia. The proposed mobile analytical device will enable**small-scale producers and wineries to perform reliable assessment of the quality of both raw materials and final**products, and to evaluate manufacturing practices. As existing techniques typically require advanced**instrumentation, intensive sample preparation, and employment of trained personnel, the on-demand portable**device will offer immense advantages in terms of low cost of fabrication, rapid detection, and adaptation of**consumer electronics (smartphone/pad/scanner).**Particularly, the research will focus on the design and testing of a bench-top microchip, which will employ the**pH-differential method established by the Association of Analytical Communities in 2005. The new device will**be validated against the established spectrophotometric protocol and other laboratory techniques such as liquid**chromatography and electrophoresis for anthocyanin quantitation in both standards and beverage samples.**Successful completion of this project will develop ties and foster relationship between SFU and Laca Biotech**Inc., and lead to expanded collaborations in applied analytical chemistry for quality control in food and**beverage industries locally and nationally. The execution of this project will also provide great R&D training**opportunities for graduate students at SFU and research technicians from local industry.