Deep eutectic solvents in food science: Pioneering analytical applications and future prospects

Abstract

Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) are rapidly emerging as transformative green alternatives in analytical food chemistry. Their unique properties, including low volatility and high tunability, make them ideal for diverse analytical applications, particularly their natural variants (NADESs) which offer enhanced safety and biodegradability for food-related uses. Recent advancements highlight DESs' exceptional efficacy primarily in revolutionizing analytical sample preparation for food contaminants. They enable high recoveries and low detection limits in various microextraction methods, crucial for robust food safety and quality control across a range of harmful substances (e.g., antibiotics, pesticides, heavy metals, dyes). While DESs also show promise in extracting valuable bioactive compounds and macromolecules, this review specifically underscores their role in preparing these extracts for subsequent analytical characterization, thereby supporting the development of novel functional ingredients. Reviews consistently praise DESs' green benefits in analytical contexts but also pinpoint challenges. Future research must focus on deepening our fundamental understanding of DES-biomolecule interactions relevant to analytical performance, optimizing extraction, recovery, and recyclability through scalable analytical technologies, and expanding their use by addressing practical scale-up and automation issues in the lab. Crucially, comprehensive safety and toxicology assessments, clear regulatory frameworks, and Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) are non-negotiable for their widespread adoption and ensuring true sustainability in analytical practices. Continued, focused research will be essential to fully realize DESs' potential as safe, efficient, and sustainable solvents for the future of food analysis.