Application of Low‐ and High‐resolution Liquid Chromatography‐Mass Spectrometry for the Determination of Contaminants in Food Matrices

Abstract

Food quality and safety are becoming a top priority to consumers, food suppliers, food manufacturers, and regulators as markets become more and more globalized. The use of liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry ( LC‐MS ) has proven to be incomparable in several ways in food analysis. Most of the effective LC‐MS methods currently used involve different MS analyzers, such as triple‐quadrupole ( QqQ ), ion‐trap ( IT ), time‐of‐flight ( TOF ), or orbitrap technology for the identification and quantification of contaminants in food commodities. The analysis of food matrices for the presence of contaminants belongs to the main application areas of these technologies and requires a thorough evaluation of their strength and limitations in order to secure scientific progress in this particular area of analysis. This article focuses on gathering the knowledge and comparing LC‐MS methodologies, applying both low‐ and high‐resolution mass analyzers, for the determination of contaminants in food matrices, with a particular focus on pesticides, veterinary drugs, and per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances ( PFAS ).