Innovative Techniques for the Determination of Metals and Metalloids in Food Samples for Safety, Quality and Authentication Purpose

Dear Colleagues,

Elements can be classified as potentially toxic (e.g., arsenic, cadmium, lead, etc.), probably essential (e.g., vanadium, cobalt) and essential (e.g., copper, zinc, iron, manganese, etc.). Toxic elements can be very harmful even at low concentration when ingested over a long period of time. The essential metals can also produce toxic effects when the metal intake is excessively elevated. It is necessary to assess the levels of heavy metals in food and to report possible contamination that would represent a health hazard. Food consumption had been identified as the major pathway of human exposure to arsenic and toxic metals, compared with other exposure routes such as inhalation and dermal contact. The presence of metals in food may be due to different factors: natural contamination, introduction of the metals during the refining process, and contact with the storage material. Some of these metals may be harmful if present in the final product, even at low concentrations.

At the same time, As and metal content can be a very big source of information about the whole life of each food product. In the past decades, some studies focused on the search for novel inorganic key markers and/or indirect markers related to the nutritional and sensory qualities, the botanical/geographical origin, as well as to the technological process. The concentration of these elements is an important criterion for the assessment of quality in regard to freshness, keeping properties, and storage of food matrices. For example, to slow down the oxidation, certain factors such as the presence of oxygen and traces of metals, exposure to light, and the binomial storage time/temperature must be kept under control. The oxidation process changes both the major and minor components of food. Many reports have described the deleterious effects that certain trace elements such as Fe, Cu, Mn, and Ni have on the flavor and oxidative stability of different food matrices, with a catalytic effect on the mechanism of autoxidation.

Trace element analysis also plays an important role as a basis for food adulteration detection and food quality control.

However, the accurate determination of trace elements in food matrices is still an analytical challenge, owing to their low concentration level and the difficulties that often arise due to the characteristics of the matrix. Several analytical techniques have been employed for this determination, such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS-GF), and voltammetry. Nevertheless, due to the organic content present in some food matrices, sample pre-treatment is frequently necessary. It may involve acid mineralization, dry or wet ashing, eventually assisted by microwave heating direct sampling, and dilution with a suitable solvent.

This Special Issue will synthesize the current research carried out in this field, linked to the presence of metals and As in food matrices, such as safety and health risks, studies of provenance, authenticity, and origin, and the effects of processing and storage on the quality and composition of the end-product.

Dr. Agnese Giacomino
Guest Editor

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