RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Dual-range colorimetric protein quantification in whey and WPC using a smart polymeric film and RGB imaging
A1 Vallejo García, Jorge Lucas
A1 Trigo López, Miriam
A1 Ibeas Cortes, Saturnino
A1 Torija López, Alba
A1 Busto Núñez, Mª Dolores
A1 Pilar Izquierdo, María Concepción
A1 López, Gloria
A1 Sánchez, Carlos
A1 Vallejos Calzada, Saúl
K1 Smart polymers
K1 Films
K1 Whey
K1 WPC
K1 RGB analysis
K1 Protein analysis
K1 Química analítica
K1 Chemistry, Analytic
K1 Alimentos-Análisis
K1 Food-Analysis
AB Whey is an important dairy by-product whose protein content must be accurately determined for quality control and fraud detection. Conventional nitrogen-based methods (e.g., Kjeldahl) require laboratory equipment and overestimate protein in the presence of non-protein nitrogen compounds. Here, we report a rapid analytical approach based on a smart polymeric film (FRGB) prepared by diazotisation–azo coupling chemistry. The film reacts with aromatic residues of whey proteins, producing a colour change quantifiable from a smartphone image. The sensor displays a dual-range response: the blue channel provides high sensitivity at low concentrations, whereas the green channel remains linear at high concentrations, enabling direct analysis of whey protein concentrate without dilution. The method showed excellent linearity (R2 = 0.99) in whey and commercial WPC over 0–120 mg·mL−1, with a detection limit of 0.284 mg·mL−1 and recovery rate of 94 ± 1.46%. Non-protein nitrogen compounds did not interfere, allowing rapid screening and preliminary authenticity assessment of whey-derived products.
PB Elsevier
SN 0308-8146
YR 2026
FD 2026-06
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11890
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11890
LA eng
NO We gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by all the funders. Author S. Vallejos received Grant PID2023-147301OB-I00 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and FEDER, EU. The financial support provided by Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional-European Regional Development Fund (FEDER, ERDF) and Regional Government of Castilla y León -Consejería de Educación, Junta de Castilla y León – (BU025P23) is gratefully acknowledged. J. L. Vallejo-García received the grant PRE2021-09812 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by “ESF Investing in your future”. Author Saul Vallejos received grant BG22/00086 funded by Spanish Ministerio de Universidades. We thank Keshav Hibare and Matthias Vandichel from the Materials and Catalysis Modelling Group (https://macatamo-group.com), University of Limerick, for discussions during the revision stage.
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Burgos
RD 02-jul-2026