Phospholipids (PhLs) are essential components of cell membranes, characterized by a hydrophobic tail and a hydrophilic headgroup. . PhLs are found naturally in foods such as egg yolks, milk, or vegetable oils. The composition and concentration of PhLs observed in these foods vary according to the analytical methodology applied, mainly in the extraction and sample treatment process. There is limited research on using PhL profiles for food authentication. This review (purchase required) focusses on recent analytical strategies used in characterizing PhLs in distinctive foodstuffs (eggs, milk, and vegetable oils). It discusses sample preparation, analytical separation, and detection techniques, particularly liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The authors conclude that untargeted approaches, such as PhL fingerprinting, have the potential to characterise the authenticity of food products. The review also highlights the potential of multivariate approaches to incorporate information on PhL composition to assess the authenticity of food products, an area that has been largely overlooked in previous studies.
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