Laser-induced plasma spectrometry for assessing food nutritional quality and safety: A review

Foods are sources of nutrients - mainly essential elements - necessary for maintaining a healthy life. Analytical methods for elemental determination are essential for obtaining nutritional information because they enable the determination and/or identification of chemical compounds Therefore, a robust, reliable, and high-throughput analytical methods are required for studies on nutritional quality and food safety. In this context, Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is a growing analytical technique that offers valuable advantages for qualitative and quantitative food analysis, as it allows rapid, remote, multielemental determination with minimal or no sample preparation.

In this review, a critical evaluation of the different analytical approaches applied to food analysis by LIBS is presented, with emphasis on qualitative and quantitative applications. Key aspects discussed include target analytes, sample preparation, interferences, mathematical models, and instrumental characteristics, highlighting promising alternatives for obtaining nutritional information and ensuring food safety. Although qualitative LIBS studies are predominant, remote analysis for determining nutritional quality and food safety represents an important emerging trend, particularly through imaging strategies. Mathematical tools are essential in quantitative studies, especially for calibration methods, although external calibration remains the most straightforward approach. Additionally, sample preparation strategies - especially for liquid foods - remain a critical challenge for elemental quantification.

In studies of food quality and food safety, LIBS is a trending method that offers fast, in situ, multielemental, and remote analysis. These characteristics are highly advantageous for agricultural studies and routine industrial analyses. Qualitative and quantitative investigations represent significant achievements and evolving trends in the application of LIBS to food analysis. While various analytical strategies have demonstrated successful outcomes, substantial limitations persist, particularly in quantitative methodologies.