Advanced Analytical Techniques in Food Analysis

The necessity of more effective and powerful analytical tools and methods for the assessment of food quality and authenticity was highlighted in 2014 by the European Parliament resolution on the food crisis (1). This is not limited to the use of innovative analytical instrumentation but extends to the application of more comprehensive approaches (e.g., fingerprinting) and advanced data handling. This highlight has accelerated the paradigm change in food analysis. Indeed, food analytical scientists are now coupling the use of advanced analytical techniques with approaches borrowed from metabolomics, particularly in data handling. The application of modern, advanced, and innovative techniques are playing a fundamental role in this new scenario, increasing the overall knowledge in the food field and supporting the resolution of complex problems and fraud detection.