Emerging roles of FTIR spectroscopy in toxic metal profiling: innovations for food safety monitoring

The application of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is recognized as one of the most proficient techniques for detecting and profiling toxic metals across various matrices. In this review, different classes of FTIR, its role in monitoring the presence and concentration of toxic metals in food matrices is critically discussed. It explores recent advancements and innovations that have markedly enhanced the sensitivity, resolution, and specificity of methodologies based on FTIR techniques. Importantly, it highlights the application of FTIR for monitoring toxic metals in different food items, where contamination poses serious public health challenges. Advanced FTIR methodologies, including integration with chemometric models and hybrid analytical systems, are discussed in detail for their contributions to improving detection limits and analytical precision. In addition, a comparative analysis is presented between FTIR and other frequently utilized analytical methodologies such as Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), accentuating FTIR’s advantages in relation to sample preparation, operational efficacy, and environmental sustainability. This review underscores FTIR’s growing relevance in regulatory and quality control frameworks and its future potential in safeguarding public health through toxic metal monitoring. A visual depiction showing an evolution of FTIR spectroscopy and its applications in food industry.