Application of modern sample preparation techniques to the determination of chloropropanols in food samples

• We relate the main difficulties in procedures for determination of chloropropanols.
• We summarize novel methods to determination of chloropropanols.
• We present the advantages of applying modern extraction techniques.
• We discuss trends and perspectives for determination of chloropropanols.

Chloropropanols are heat-induced food toxicants that recently caused concern among industrial and scientific experts. World and European organizations related to food safety asked researchers to investigate mitigation strategies regarding these contaminants. The essential objective of this project was development of fast analytical methods enabling reliable determination and quantification of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol, 2-monochloropropane-1,3-diol and 1,3-dichloropropanol. There are now several widely applied methods, which meet the requirements to some extent, but they involve a multi-step sample-preparation process, rather undesirable in routine analysis. The solution seems to be application of modern extraction techniques, especially combined with derivatization, which may lead to shortening and simplifying the whole procedure.We present the advantages of possible options for determination of chloropropanols by summarizing methods already developed involving techniques such as solid-phase microextraction, magnetic solid-phase extraction, pressurized liquid extraction or dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction.