Analytical Techniques for Vitamin E and Antioxidant Compounds in Food Systems
Summary
Analytical monitoring of vitamin E and allied lipid-soluble antioxidants in complex food matrices has become integral to ensuring nutritional quality, oxidative stability and labelling accuracy. A suite of chromatographic, spectrometric and electrochemical approaches is now routinely employed to isolate, detect and quantify tocopherols, tocotrienols and other antioxidant phenolics from oils, nuts, grains and fortified foods. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence or mass spectrometry detectors remains the gold standard for separating individual vitamers, offering high sensitivity and selectivity across wide concentration ranges. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques, following derivatisation, enable comprehensive profiling of lipophilic antioxidants alongside fatty acids and sterols. Emerging methods such as supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) offer greener sample preparation and faster separation with reduced solvent use. Complementary spectrophotometric assays, including DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging tests, continue to provide rapid screening of overall antioxidant capacity, guiding more detailed chromatographic analyses. Advances in miniaturised extraction (e.g. micro-solid phase extraction) and in-line hyphenated systems accelerate throughput and lower detection limits, facilitating high-resolution mapping of antioxidant distribution in food systems with direct relevance to shelf-life assessment, health claims and global regulatory standards.
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Analytical Techniques for Vitamin E and Antioxidant Compounds in Food Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in analytical techniques for vitamin e and antioxidant compounds in food systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Tocopherols and tocotrienols (tocols): Lipid-soluble vitamin E compounds with antioxidant activity, differentiated by side-chain saturation.
High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC): A separation technique that uses high pressure to pass liquid mobile phase through a packed column, often coupled with fluorescence or mass spectrometric detection.
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS): An analytical method combining gas chromatographic separation with mass spectrometric identification, typically requiring derivatisation of lipophilic compounds.
Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE): A sample preparation technique using supercritical CO2 (often with co-solvents) for efficient extraction of nonpolar compounds.
DPPH assay: A spectrophotometric test that measures the radical scavenging ability of antioxidants against the stable DPPH radical.
References
- Application of GC-MS for the detection of lipophilic compounds in diverse plant tissues. Plant Methods (2009).
- Quality of Canola Oil Obtained by Conventional and Supercritical Fluid Extraction. American Journal of Analytical Chemistry (2012).
- Occurrence of Tocols in Foods: An Updated Shot of Current Databases. Journal of Food Quality (2021).
- Study on antioxidant activity of crude peanut oils and refined cottonseed oils from Burkina Faso. AIMS Agriculture and Food (2021).
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