Applications of Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry for Food Analysis
Prof. Vita Di Stefano
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Food products are very complex mixtures consisting of macronutrients such as lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, organic acids and much more. Furthermore, due to agrochemical treatments and technological processes, or even from food packaging, food can also contain many other foreign substances called contaminants. Therefore, analysis of food products is difficult not only for the complexity and diversity of the matrices but also for the great variability of the compounds present. Food chemical components differ in polarity, structures and concentration levels, ranging from components at the gram per kilogram level to those found in trace amounts (low μg/kg, ng/kg, etc.).
Nowadays, liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) or tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS / MS) is among the most effective analytical techniques for structural characterization and analysis of food products. The use of liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) and accurate mass measurements have recently gained enormous popularity in food analysis due to the great ability of these methodologies to provide more complete information on the exact molecular mass, elemental composition and molecular details structure of a given compound.
Thus, this Special Issue on “Applications of Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry for Food Analysis”is a unique opportunity to gather state-of-the-art of LC-based methods to control the safety and bioactivity of foods, as well as its quality control. Therefore, papers dealing with both the LC-MS method development and with their application on food analysis and quality control, will be welcome.