Non-Thermal Food Processing Technologies and Polyphenols: LC-MS Evidence for Stability, Transformation, and...

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Phenolic compounds are vital for food quality but degrade with heat.
• Non-thermal processing is explored as an alternative to conventional heat treatments.
• Interpreting non-thermal effects requires compound-level analysis beyond bulk assays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) evidence on non-thermal processing impacts on polyphenols.
• To evaluate how ultrasound, high-pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, and cold plasma affect polyphenol profiles.
• To differentiate between phenolic preservation, release, and degradation.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies using LC-MS and LC-MS/MS.
• Analysis of polyphenol changes in various food matrices.
• Evaluation of evidence from 2021 to early 2026.

Main Results:

• Ultrasound and high-pressure processing increase measurable phenolics via cell disruption and bound-pool release.
• Pulsed electric fields can cause oxidative losses, especially with increased enzyme activity.
• Cold plasma induces oxidation and nitration due to reactive species.
• Stress responses in fresh-cut tissues elevate phenylpropanoids.

Conclusions:

• Non-thermal techniques significantly alter polyphenol profiles in distinct ways.
• LC-MS provides essential compound-level detail to understand these alterations.
• Bulk assays like TPC are insufficient for precise interpretation of non-thermal processing effects.