The Role of Chromatography in food Analysis

Whether it is natural, processed or cooked, food is consumed both for the preservation and enjoyment of human life. Food products are very complex mixtures that hold many nutrients of an organic and inorganic nature. In addition to their natural properties, they can contain xenobiotic substances that come mainly from technological processes, agrochemical treatments or packaging materials. Most reasons for the analysis of food content result from nutrition and health concerns, process-control and quality-assurance purposes or flavour and fragrance issues. Other reasons include the identification of the origin of components, the checking for food adulteration and the ?mining? of food for naturally occurring products. The main method that is employed for food analysis is chromatography. The aim of this article is to provide a brief overview of a number of uses of chromatography for food analyses.