A review of theoretical and practical aspects of solid-phase microextraction in food analysis

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is a modern, solvent-free sample preparation technique, commonly used in trace analysis. This technique has been developed to combine sampling and sample preparation in one step. This paper reviews selected theoretical and practical aspects of the SPME method used for the isolation and preconcentration of impurities, food constituents, additives and flavour compounds in food samples. The main parameters affecting the extraction effectiveness are discussed and exemplified by selected chromatograms. The review is intended for readers who are either new to the field of SPME or its use in food analysis and many examples of its application for different food matrices are listed.