Acurate and state-of-the-art analysis of food composition is of interest and concern to a divergent clientele including research workers in academic, government and
industrial settings, regulatory scientists, analysts in private commercial laboratories, and
quality control professionals in small and large companies. Some methods are empirical,
some commodity specific, and many have been widely accepted as standard
methods for years. Others are at the cutting edge of new analytical methodology and
are rapidly changing. A common denominator within this diverse group of methods
is the desire for detailed descriptions of how to carry out analytical procedures. A frustration
of many authors and readers of peer-reviewed journals is the brevity of most
Materials and Methods sections. There is editorial pressure to minimize description
of experimental details and eliminate advisory comments. When one needs to undertake
an analytical procedure with which one is unfamiliar, it is prudent to communicate firsthand
with one experienced -with the methodology. This may require a personal visit to
another laboratory and/or electronic or phone communication with someone who has
expertise in the procedure. Pin objective of the Handbook of Food Analytical Chemistgi
is to provide exactly this kind of detailed information which personal contact would
provide. Authors are instructed to present the kind of details and advisory comments
they would give to a graduate student or technician who has competent laboratory
skills and who has come to them to learn how to carry out an analytical procedure
for which the author has expertise.