Application of high-performance thin layer chromatography mass spectrometry (HPTLC MS) in foodomics authenticity

Background

Chemometric analysis is also a powerful tool that can be used in the preliminary stages of analytical methods optimization, but is also efficient in data processing. These new approaches may be the key to the analysis of proteins, carbohydrate, sphignolipids, polyphenols in different food components. Although there are challenges in identifying and annotating those compounds due to the limited availability of analytical standards and structural diversity.

Scope and approach

Chromatograms are a useful tool for learning more about the chemical make-up of the food being tested. This information can occasionally be implicit or presented in a subtle way. Therefore, to extract it, chemometric tools and data mining techniques are needed. A chromatogram's fingerprint allows for the possibility of performing both identity and quality testing on food. This viewpoint aims to offer a current assessment of chromatographic fingerprinting technique in the area of food authentication. Additionally, this methodology's limitations, absence from official analytical methods, and future directions are discussed. Novel techniques have been employed in the past few decades, ranging from high-pressure thin liquid chromatography (HPTLC) to mass spectrometry (MS) and other spectroscopic methods. In the last decade research developments, and the application of analytical methods in qualitative and quantitative studies of food components and their adulterants is reviewed in the present work. High-pressure Thin liquid chromatography (HPTLC) is hyphenated with high resolution mass spectrometry is particularly addressed due to its applicability in the targeted/untargeted metabolomic analysis of all food components.

Key findings and conclusions

In the current study, the HPTLC-MS technique was used to examine food components and food adulteration. The HPTLC-MS hyphenated techniques were found to be an extremely helpful method for the detection of food adulterants as well as the various food components, such as protein, carbohydrates, lipids, essential oils, and flavonoids, which were found to be effective as medicinally.