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This week highlights advances in food authenticity research, AI applications in analytical chemistry, REIMS for pork classification, improved GC×GC sensitivity, and greener SFC workflows.

Kevin Schug explores how molecular encoding bridges chemistry and data science to enhance precision and intelligence in analytical measurements.

A pilot study conducted by researchers from Texas State University and Yale utilized liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to analyze whole blood samples from active-duty firefighters for 24 distinct per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The analysis successfully quantified key analytes, revealing a direct negative association between PFOS concentrations and cognitive processing speed. This research highlights the essential role of advanced LC-MS/MS techniques in uncovering the hidden occupational hazards and neurotoxicological impacts of "forever chemicals" on first responders.

Peter Tranchida on how cryogenic band compression boosts sensitivity across analytes.

Deborah McKenzie, Chris Elliott, Michele Suman, and Nicholas Birse summarize their thoughts on food adulteration and fraud and provide a personal “call‑to‑action" to share with analytical scientists working to protect the integrity of food in the supply chain.

Are chemometrics and artificial intelligence (AI) currently delivering real value in relation to pattern recognition, anomaly detection, and spectral libraries in food fraud and food adulteration applications? The panel explore potential risks when chemical understanding is not strong enough.

Nontargeted high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) workflows are getting a lot of attention. The panel explore where these worklows are genuinely advancing authenticity testing, and if these workflows are meeting expectations.

Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with fluorescence detection was used to measure peripheral concentrations of tryptophan (Trp), serotonin (5-HT), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to analyze volatile compounds across various commercial smoked products, tracking the specific chemical drivers of smoky flavors.

Food matrices are notoriously complex. The panel explore how to overcome the biggest challenges to develop validated, reproducible methods that hold up across regions, seasons, and suppliers.

The limitations of current analytical techniques in food adulteration and food fraud are explored and complementary techniques that can enhance results are discussed.

Researchers used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to measure over 200 environmental exposures in the blood of adults from an industrialized region in northern China. The study found that elevated levels of specific endocrine-disrupting chemicals and persistent organic pollutants were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of being overweight, emphasizing the potential impact of complex chemical mixtures on obesity.

Researchers employed ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with orbital trap mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to conduct a multi-omics analysis of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The study identified significant gut microbiota dysbiosis, alongside 32 differentially expressed metabolites and 38 differentially expressed proteins. These findings reveal distinct metabolic pathway alterations that could serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for early CHD detection and intervention.

Kevin Schug reviews the increasing presence of artificial intelligence in analytical chemistry.

The Chromatographic Society (ChromSoc) Spring Symposium, The Chromatographic (Analytical) Method Life Cycle (2026): From Cradle to Grave (III), co-organised with the Joint Pharmaceutical Analysis Group (JPAG), will be held at Burlington House (London) from 18–19th May 2026.

In this interview recorded at analytica 2026 in Munich, Giorgia Purcaro discusses how GC‑based hyphenated techniques are reshaping the analysis of complex food samples.

Hans-Gerd Janssen reflects on the importance of the Riva Conference conference to advance his expertise in separation science. He also previews his presentation for the event that explores the benefits of cryomodulated comprehensive GC×GC, which can enhance sensitivity by 10 to 20 times, and explains how the second dimension of a GC×GC system essentially operates as a high-speed GC for food analysis application.

Food is one of the most challenging matrices to analyze in terms of complexity. The panelists explore the role that chromatography plays in food authenticity and food fraud applications to successfully analyze such complex matrices.

The panelists explore how food authenticity is defined in today’s global supply chain, and how that definition has evolved as fraud has become more sophisticated and difficult to detect.

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to perform comprehensive, nontargeted metabolomic profiling on serum samples from adult patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The data establishes LC-MS as a powerful diagnostic tool to help prevent the common misdiagnosis of adult T1D as type 2 diabetes.

The panelists introduce themselves and describe their expertise in separation science and experience in food authenticity and food fraud research.

Following 2025 FDA initiatives to ensure the safety of children's foods, researchers developed a highly sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method to detect eight prohibited acidic and basic synthetic dyes in candies and cereals. Although no unauthorized dyes were found in the analyzed samples, the study demonstrates that robust, routine analytical screening is essential to verify labeling accuracy, maintain regulatory compliance, and protect vulnerable populations.

Giorgia Purcaro explains how hyphenated GC and GC×GC deliver rich fingerprints, simplify prep, and enable targeted and untargeted food analysis.

Headspace-gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) alongside an electronic nose (E-nose) was applied to characterize volatile compounds in ginger slices subjected to hot-air drying (HAD), infrared drying (IRD), and microwave-assisted hot-air drying (MHD). Overall, the dual-platform chromatographic approach effectively connected chemical fingerprints with sensory-relevant attributes, supporting optimized drying strategies for high-quality ginger products.

A recent study explored rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) as a high-throughput, real-time alternative. By analyzing metabolomic fingerprints from pig neck fat, REIMS was combined with multivariate data analysis and machine learning algorithms to successfully classify pork breeds and accurately detect boar taint in both laboratory and slaughterhouse environments. LCGC International spoke to Lieselot Y. Hemeryck and Lynn Vanhaecke, two of the authors of the paper resulting from this work, and their expert colleague, Vera Plekhova, about the study and their findings.

At analytica 2026, Gert Desmet of Vrije Universiteit Brussel mulls over the ways these next-generation columns deliver environmental or resource-use benefits over conventional packed beds.

Caroline West highlights how advances in SFC instrumentation are driving greener, more versatile analytical workflows across diverse applications.

Few scientists manage to shape not only a research field, but a culture. Carlo Bicchi belongs to that rare category. In this extensive interview, Chiara Cordero speaks to Carlo Bicchi, winner of the 2026 Marcel Golay Award, as they both prepare to present at the 44th ISCC and 21st GC x GC Symposium, which takes place from May 17–22 2026 at the Conference Centre, Riva Del Garda, Italy. In part two, Carlo highlights the importance of genuine understanding of fundamental principles, the value of working "inside the problem", and what younger scientists can learn from attending Riva.