Statistics in Food and Biotechnology

Book excerpt: The proper use of statistical methods is essential in food processing and biotechnology, and very few publications have focused on the practical application of these methods. This book utilizes case studies to explain the corresponding basics with a focus on understanding how and when to use the appropriate statistical methods. The text is structured according to practical applications, starting from data collection and data treatment, moving to product development, process control and analytical methods. Practical Examples of Using Statistics in Food and Biotechnology begins with a detailed introduction to statistics and their use in food processing. The first main section focuses on statistics for data collection and treatment featuring scales of measurement, sampling and summarizing and presenting data. Another section looks at statistics for food product and process development, examining mixture experiments for different food groups from meat and fish to vegetables, juices, rice and olive oils. Further sections focus on statistical process control, statistics for sensory science and a wide range of analytical methods including LC-MS/MS and other cutting edge methods. In providing practical, hands-on information on the use of statistics in food processing, this work will be of major importance for food professionals, industry staff and researchers in food and biotechnology. .