Selected Instrumental Techniques Applied in Food and Feed: Quality, Safety and Adulteration Analysis

Abstract

This review presents an overall glance at selected instrumental analytical techniques and methods used in food analysis, focusing on their primary food science research applications. The methods described represent approaches that have already been developed or are currently being implemented in our laboratories. Some techniques are widespread and well known and hence we will focus only in very specific examples, whilst the relatively less common techniques applied in food science are covered in a wider fashion. We made a particular emphasis on the works published on this topic in the last five years. When appropriate, we referred the reader to specialized reports highlighting each technique's principle and focused on said technologies' applications in the food analysis field. Each example forwarded will consider the advantages and limitations of the application. Certain study cases will typify that several of the techniques mentioned are used simultaneously to resolve an issue, support novel data, or gather further information from the food sample.

Keywords: adulteration; authenticity; food and feed research; food chemistry; instrumental food analysis; nutritional quality; safety.

Figure 1

Representation of selected analytical methods and targets to exemplify applications in quality, safety, and authenticity of foods. Each technique complements each other, from each a different amount and nature of information is gathered. Additionally, each technique can benefit from other instrument’s capabilities (e.g., Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) benefits from Liquid Chromatography (LC) or Gas Chromatography (GC) separation power).