Expanding the Sample Extraction Toolkit for Food Analysis by GC-MS

Food scientists face growing challenges in characterizing complex food matrices with conventional analytical methods, which often fall short in sensitivity, robustness, and dynamic range. In this webinar, Dr Natasha Spadafora demonstrates a flexible platform that overcomes these limitations using a cryogen-free focusing trap. She will share two case studies: using high-capacity sorptive extraction with automated re-collection to reveal honey authenticity markers across a wide dynamic range; and enhancing SPME analysis with enrichment to uncover the nutritional potential of Mediterranean macroalgae. These examples will showcase how a flexible sampling toolkit (via the Centri platform) and advanced chemometric analysis (via ChromCompare+ analytical software) can provide highly informative data, as well as higher throughput and more insight into results.

By attending this presentation, you will:

• Centri’s flexible sampling tools (multi-step enrichment, high-capacity sorptive extraction, automated re-collection) help discover more from food matrices.
• Centri’s automated workflows reduce hands-on time, increase throughput, and improve reproducibility.
• Intelligent data analysis tools can automatically identify key features that differentiate complex samples. 
• These features are applied in practice with case studies on honey fraud detection and algae nutrient profiling.

Presenter: Natasha D. Spadafora  (Assistant Professor, University of Ferrara, Italy)

Natasha D. Spadafora focuses her research on food science at the University of Ferrara. Her main interest is to develop end-to-end solutions in food quality, flavour, and fragrance (FFF) at a multidisciplinary level, including metabolomics, transcriptomics, and sensorial perception.  Her research across academia and industry leverages advanced analytical techniques like GC (GCxGC)-MS and chemometrics to address real-world challenges in food authenticity and waste reduction. She specializes in translating complex data into actionable insights for the food supply chain.

Presenter: Rebecca Cole (Application Specialist, Markes International, Wales)

Rebecca Cole received a BSc in genetics from the University of Cardiff, UK, and subsequently did a PhD at the University of Bristol, where she wrote her thesis on the population genetics of parasitic nematodes. She is now an application specialist at Markes, providing technical and application support to users around the world and developing applications using extraction and enrichment techniques for GC–MS.