Fatty Acids and Starch Identification within Minute Archaeological Fragments: Qualitative Investigation for Assessing Feasibility

Roberto Ordoñez-Araque ^1,2,3,4, Luis Ramos-Guerrero ⁵, Paul Vargas-Jentzsch ^1,6

¹Programa de Doctorado en Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos, Departamento de Ciencia de Alimentos y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ingeniería Química y Agroindustria, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito 170525, Ecuador.
²Facultad de Salud y Bienestar, Escuela de Nutrición y Dietética, Universidad Iberoamericana del Ecuador (UNIB.E), Quito 170143, Ecuador.
³Escuela de Gastronomía, Universidad de Las Américas (UDLA), Quito 170513, Ecuador.
⁴Programa de Maestría en Desarrollo e Innovación en Alimentos, Universidad de Las Américas (UDLA), Quito 170125, Ecuador.
⁵Grupo de Investigación Bio-Quimioinformática, Carrera de Ingeniería Agroindustrial, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad de Las Américas (UDLA), Quito 170125, Ecuador.
⁶Departamento de Ciencias Nucleares, Facultad de Ingeniería Química y Agroindustria, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito 170525, Ecuador.
⁷Unidad de Laboratorio y Análisis, Instituto Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural (INPC), Quito 170143, Ecuador.
⁸Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Carrera de Química de Alimentos, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito 170129, Ecuador.
⁹Departamento de Ciencia de Alimentos y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ingeniería Química y Agroindustria, Escuela Politécnica Nacional (EPN), Quito 170143, Ecuador.

⁰Programa de Doctorado en Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos, Departamento de Ciencia de Alimentos y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ingeniería Química y Agroindustria, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito 170525, Ecuador.

Foods (basel, Switzerland) +

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April 13, 2024

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Summary

This study presents new methods for analyzing fatty acids and starch from minimal archaeological ceramic samples. These techniques allow for detailed dietary pattern reconstruction from even tiny fragments, advancing archaeological biomolecular analysis.

Area Of Science

Archaeological chemistry
Biomolecular analysis
Paleodietary studies

Background

Biomolecular analysis of archaeological materials is crucial for understanding historical diets.
Limited sample sizes from ceramic fragments often hinder comprehensive laboratory analysis.
Integrating chemistry and archaeology provides objective insights into past food practices.

Purpose Of The Study

To develop a protocol for analyzing fatty acids and starch from minimal quantities of archaeological food utensils.
To establish efficient extraction and identification methods for biomolecules in limited samples.
To enable detailed dietary pattern reconstruction from scarce archaeological ceramic evidence.

Main Methods

Experimental replication of potential food preparations in clay griddles.
Fatty acid analysis using vegetable oil at varying temperatures.
Starch analysis involving diverse potato and maize preparations (pulp, chuño, tortilla, carbonization, freeze-drying).
Soxhlet extraction for fatty acid recovery and development of a starch extraction protocol.
Validation using authentic archaeological ceramic fragments.

Main Results

Successful extraction of fatty acids and starch from only 0.25 g of sample material.
Soxhlet extraction proved most effective for fatty acid recovery.
A comprehensive protocol for starch extraction and identification was successfully developed.
Methodologies were validated on actual archaeological fragments, confirming their efficacy.

Conclusions

Established novel, efficient methodologies for extracting fatty acids and starch from limited archaeological ceramic samples.
These methods significantly enhance the potential for biomolecular analysis in archaeology, even with minuscule sample sizes.
The study provides crucial tools for reconstructing historical dietary patterns and foodways from scarce archaeological remains.

Keywords:

archeology biomolecules chemistry culture food macronutrients