karbohydratkjeder

Carbohydrate-kjeder, referred to in Danish as "Kjeldahlmetoder for næringsstoffer" or simply "Kjeldahlmethode" for their use in determining the protein content of food and other biological samples, are an essential tool in the field of nutrition and biochemistry.

The term "carbohydrate-kjeder" might be better translated to English as "Kjeldahl units" or simply "Kjeldahl method", named after the Danish chemist Johan Kjeldahl, who developed the technique in the late 19th century. The method is based on the sulfuric acid hydrolysis of a sample, allowing the subsequent titration to calculate the nitrogen content, from which the protein content can be deduced.

The Kjeldahl method is a widely used analytical technique, particularly in the agricultural and food industries, where it is employed for the determination of protein content in crops, animal feed, and processed food products. The method is also used in the context of food labeling and quality control, as compliance with nutritional regulations often depends on the accurate declaration of protein levels.

The Kjeldahl method has undergone several refinements and updates since Kjeldahl's initial development, with the introduction of more efficient catalytic equipment and improved analytical procedures aiming at increasing the accuracy and precision of the techniques. Notwithstanding these advancements, the basic principles of the Kjeldahl method have remained unchanged, relying on the sulfuric acid hydrolysis followed by titration for determining the nitrogen content. Overall, the carbohydrate-kjeder or more precisely the Kjeldahl method has remained a cornerstone of analytical chemistry in the assessment of biological samples' nutrient content.