ADVANCED ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES FOR THE CHARACTERIZATION OF COMPLEX FOOD PRODUCTS

The present PhD thesis comprises the results of the accomplished research based on the development and application of conventional and innovative chromatographic techniques, and ambient mass spectrometry on different food matrices. The herein applied analytical chemistry techniques have shown their efficiency to provide potentially advantageous information regarding traceability, authenticity and salubrity due to the presence of potentially beneficial compounds for human health in the studied matrices. In particular, conventional liquid and gas chromatography were initially employed in a low- scale study in 2018, focused on the evaluation of the relationship between the geographic origin of virgin olive oils (VOOs) from 5 different Moroccan regions and their content in phenolic compounds, vitamin E, and fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs). In 2018 and 2019, a similar study was conducted on extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) in 19 Moroccan regions, including pedoclimatic factors. The achieved results were assessed through different chemometric analyses performed on both studies to discriminate olive oil, bioactive compounds, and different studied regions by clusters. The biological compounds (phenolic compounds, vitamin E, and fatty acid methyl esters) in EVOOs highlighted by different analytical techniques, may be considered as markers for the traceability and the salubrity of EVOOs in the studied Moroccan regions. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry was also applied for the analysis of bioaccessible polyphenols of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. in simulated in vitro human digestion. Finally, a chemical characterization of Brassica juncea L. extracts was also carried out by the employment of liquid and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The last part of the thesis shed light on the employment of ambient mass spectrometry, where rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) was employed, along with conventional liquid chromatography, for the discrimination of Moroccan Lamiaceae species. I would like to acknowledge the National Operational Program on Research and Innovation (PON) for the valuable sustainment and funding of the research works and scientific contributions.