Chromatographic Technique: Gas Chromatography (GC)

Its high resolution and sensitivity make of gas chromatography (GC) one of the most useful techniques for assessment of food authenticity. In this chapter, fundamentals and instrumentation of GC, together with several outstanding applications aimed to determine the authenticity of foodstuffs at more risk (e.g. fats and oils, dairy products, honey, coffee, spices, fruit juices, and wines) are covered. The coupling of GC to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) affords valuable structural information for reliable identification of authenticity markers and/or to get insight into the adulterants employed. Moreover, the potential of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) for resolving the complex mixtures involved in most common food frauds and for detection of subtle adulterations is also discussed.