Novel MS-based approaches and applications in food metabolomics

•Potential of novel mass-spectrometry (MS)-based approaches in food metabolomics.•Study of food metabolome for food-safety assessment and quality control.•Comparative metabolic profiling and fingerprinting to study food authenticity.•Food authenticity, origin, quality, processing, and unintended effects of GM food.

This article gives an overview of some of the most recent trends in mass-spectrometry (MS)-based approaches and their application in food metabolomics. MS is a powerful analytical technique with excellent capabilities, and most emphasis is on descriptions of novel MS-based approaches, such as direct MS analysis using ambient ionization techniques or MS imaging. We also highlight recent applications of multi-dimensional chromatographic techniques and analytical multi-platforms.