FOOD TESTING APPLICATIONS eBook

Importance of the Topic

Food safety and quality control demand analytical methods capable of detecting trace contaminants and characterising complex flavour and compositional profiles. Advances in gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOFMS) and comprehensive two-dimensional GC (GC×GC-TOFMS) have opened new possibilities for routine and non-targeted analyses in food testing. The high resolution, speed, and sensitivity of these techniques support regulatory compliance and research in areas ranging from pesticide residue monitoring to aroma profiling and metabolomics.

Objectives and Study Overview

This expert summary reviews the capabilities of LECO’s GC and GC×GC-TOFMS platforms, key instrument features, software tools, and a selection of food testing applications. It highlights how specific innovations—such as stable ion sources, multi-mode ionisation, and modular GC×GC devices—address common analytical challenges. Representative workflows for pesticide quantitation, volatile profiling, and differentiating food samples illustrate the practical impact of these technologies.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• GC×GC-TOFMS coupling two orthogonal columns via modulators (thermal or flow) to expand separation space and enhance sensitivity.
• TOFMS detection with folded flight paths delivering mass resolution up to 50 000 and mass accuracy of 1 ppm, enabling unambiguous compound identification.
• StayClean® ion source for extended maintenance intervals, plus Multi-Mode Source™ for automated switching among EI, PCI, and NCI without hardware changes.
• Software suites ChromaTOF® and ChromaTOF Tile for instrument control, automated peak finding, non-target deconvolution, library searching, and statistical comparison.

Main Results and Discussion

GC×GC-TOFMS demonstrated >4× more peak detection in complex matrices (e.g. cannabis terpenes) and robust separation of co-eluting components. Fast-GC methods on 15 m columns cut analysis times for pesticide screenings in berries and tomatoes while meeting stringent detection limits. High-resolution SCAN speeds provided superior spectral continuity versus scanning analyzers, improving library matches and non-target discovery. In aroma studies, GC×GC surface plots and retention indices enabled differentiation of beer aging, coffee roast levels, honey varieties, and olive oil origins. Metabolomics workflows on yeast and rice fermentations benefited from accurate-mass profiling to resolve isobaric interferences.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Routine pesticide and contaminant quantitation with high throughput and low detection limits.
• Comprehensive aroma and flavour profiling for product development, quality control, and authenticity assessments.
• Food metabolomics and biomarker discovery enabled by accurate-mass, high-resolution data.
• Reduced maintenance and downtime via robust ion sources and consumable-free modulators.

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Emerging directions include integration of machine learning for automated pattern recognition, expanded use of non-targeted screening in regulatory environments, and miniaturised modulators for field testing. Combined LC-GC×GC workflows may further extend coverage of semi-volatile and polar compounds. High-throughput metabolomics and lipidomics applications will benefit from continued improvements in resolution, acquisition speed, and data-processing algorithms.

Conclusion

LECO’s GC-TOFMS and GC×GC-TOFMS platforms, complemented by advanced ion sources and software, address critical challenges in food testing. Their ability to deliver high-resolution, accurate-mass data at speed makes them powerful tools for routine laboratories and research environments alike. Continued instrument and informatics innovations will expand their utility in food safety, authenticity, and product development.

Reference

LECO Corporation. FOOD TESTING APPLICATIONS eBook. LECO Corporation; 2020.