Fast determination of total unbound fat in snack foods using a new fully automated parallel extraction and concentration system

Importance of the Topic

Food lipids play a critical role in nutrition labeling and health assessment. Accurately measuring total unbound fat content in diverse snack matrices ensures compliance with regulatory standards and informs consumer choices. Traditional Soxhlet methods are solvent and time intensive, driving demand for faster, greener extraction techniques.

Study Objectives and Overview

This application describes the development and validation of a fully automated method for quantifying total unbound fat in snack foods using the Thermo Scientific EXTREVA ASE system. Results from four commercial snack products were compared against a legacy Dionex ASE 350 extractor coupled with the Rocket Synergy 2 evaporator.

Methodology

Snack samples were homogenized with diatomaceous earth and loaded into 10
mL stainless steel cells. Both systems used a 60:40 hexane:isopropanol solvent mixture at 125 °C under controlled pressure. The EXTREVA ASE integrates parallel extraction across four cells with in-line evaporation to dryness, while the Dionex ASE 350 extracts were transferred to the Rocket evaporator for concentration.

Instrumentation

• Thermo Scientific EXTREVA ASE Accelerated Solvent Extractor
• Thermo Scientific Dionex ASE 350 Accelerated Solvent Extractor
• Rocket Synergy 2 Evaporator
• 60 mL collection vials, cellulose filters, diatomaceous earth
• Analytical balance, coffee grinder

Key Results and Discussion

Both methods yielded precise fat measurements (RSD up to 1.6%) closely matching labeled values (14.3–35.7% w/w). The EXTREVA ASE showed equivalent extraction efficiency to the ASE 350/Rocket combination. Throughput improved dramatically: EXTREVA processed 16 samples in ~5.3 h (20 min/sample) versus ~10.7 h (40–45 min/sample) for the comparative workflow, achieving a 50% time saving and reduced solvent use.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The EXTREVA ASE offers fully automated sample preparation, minimizing manual intervention and risk of error. Parallel extraction and integrated evaporation cut solvent consumption and processing time in half compared to standard accelerated extraction plus offline evaporation. This efficiency supports high-volume QC laboratories and research settings aiming for sustainable operations.

Future Trends and Applications

Advancements may include AI-driven process controls for optimized extraction and evaporation parameters, further vacuum reduction to accelerate lipid drying, and expansion to other food matrices and analyte classes. Integration with real-time data analytics could enhance throughput and regulatory compliance.

Conclusion

The EXTREVA ASE system enables rapid, accurate determination of total unbound fat in snack foods with significant time and solvent savings. Its automation and parallel processing capabilities make it a robust solution for modern food analysis laboratories seeking high throughput and sustainability.

References

• 21 CFR §101.9, Title 21, Parts 100–169, US Government Publishing Office, 2013
• Rowlands JC, Hoadley JE. FDA perspectives on health claims for food labels. Toxicology. 2006;221:35
• AOAC Official Methods 983.23 and 945.16. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, 1990;2002