Re: How can we test for acids in foods, expecially those that cause reflux?

Aloha,

     Your question is an interesting one;  and a member of my family also 
has the same problem (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: GERD).  There are 
ways to test for the acidity of food, but you may be looking in the wrong 
direction...and doing the tests correctly might necessitate using expensive 
laboratory equipment.
     You are correct that the problem is related to acid, but not 
necessarily acid IN food;  rather the problem is reflux (or regurgitation) 
of STOMACH acid back up into the esophagus.  The hydrochloric acid 
produced in AND by the stomach is quite strong...for a reason:  it helps 
begin the breaking down of food proteins and offers some protection against 
microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, etc.) in the food, too.
     What happens with GERD is that the muscle ring at the lower end of the 
esophagus doesn't close as tightly as it should and the acid leaks back 
up...causing a lot of pain, sometimes, and bad tastes in the mouth.
     According to a recent clinical nutrition text (Nutrition and Diet 
Therapy, by Cataldo, DeBruyne, and Whitney), there are some practical 
suggestions for preventing and treating this reflux problem.  These include 
eating smaller meals, not lying down right after eating, relaxing during 
mealtimes, eating slowly, and chewing food thoroughly.
     The foods that seem to cause the most problem are foods that contain 
fat (fatty meats, french-fries, salad dressings containing fat/oil), 
caffeine-containing foods (regular colas and other beverages), tea, 
chocolate, spearmint, and peppermint.  Some foods that are acidic 
(tomatoes, citrus fruits/juices) can cause a problem, as can other foods 
such as pepper, spices, and very hot/cold foods.  Of course, much of this 
information you may already know since you are dealing with the problem in 
one of your children.  Drug treatments are also available...these act to 
keep the muscle ring more tightly closed or to counteract the effect of the 
refluxed acid.
     With that all said, let's turn to suggestions for a possible 
science project for your daughter. I'd suggest that she locate a Registered 
Dietitian nearby (check with your local hospital or look in the yellow 
pages under 'dietitian') and see if that person would be willing to help 
with a project...maybe investigating the web-sites available to people with 
GERD (e.g., , , ).  Doing a 
web-search with 'GERD' should get her started.  With the RD's help, your 
daughter might be able to compare and evaluate the information as to 
correctness, usefulness, up-to-datedness, etc.  Not all research is done 
with a test-tube in a laboratory.  In fact, many applied researchers (like 
myself) never set foot in a lab.  Maybe she could even learn how to do case 
studies on GERD clients with the dietitian.
     Since you didn't identify a city/state on your question, if you do 
I might be able help you locate someone with 
whom your daughter could work, through several professional networks to 
which I belong.
     Good luck!