Ana María Ares

Comprehensive two‐dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) is a powerful analytical technique for investigating the chemical complexity of food matrices by combining two complementary separation dimensions with mass spectrometric detection. Its enhanced separation capacity makes GC×GC particularly attractive for the characterization of volatile and semi‐volatile compounds, as well as for food authentication, quality assessment, contaminant determination, and comprehensive chemical profiling. This review critically examines several analytical applications of GC×GC in food analysis reported between 2021 and 2025, focusing on the problems addressed, the food matrices investigated, and the added value provided by two‐dimensional separation compared with conventional GC. A bibliometric analysis of publication trends, countries, and journals is combined with a systematic assessment of target compounds, sample preparation, column configurations, modulation systems, and detection strategies. Plant‐based foods were the most extensively investigated matrices, followed by animal‐based products and other food categories, while solid‐phase microextraction was the most frequently employed sample preparation approach. Attention is given to applications involving volatile compounds and aroma, foodomics, fingerprinting, authenticity, and contaminants. Finally, current limitations and emerging opportunities are discussed, highlighting the need for robust quantitative methods, improved data processing, and broader application of GC×GC to complex food matrices.

The educational-Pink Innovation Grade Index (e-PIGI) is a novel metric designed to assess and quantify the level of innovation within educational practices and pedagogical projects. This work introduces the e-PIGI tool, an interactive and survey-based software that enables educators, institutions, and project designers to identify both strengths and limitations in their initiatives across ten key dimensions. These include different categories such as: (i) emerging technologies, (ii) adaptability to diversity, (iii) promotion of 21st-century skills, (iv) collaboration, (v) alignment with regulatory frameworks, (vi) active methodologies, (vii) impact, (viii) sustainability, (ix) evaluation and (x) multidisciplinarity. Each dimension is scored using a pink color-based scale ranging from 0 to 10, with darker tones indicating a higher degree of innovation. The resulting output includes a color-coded innovation score and a circular-shaped pictogram that offers a visual representation of the project’s innovative profile. A threshold value of 50 points is proposed as an operational criterion for identifying projects considered innovative. The tool was validated through expert judgment for content validity and through empirical reliability analysis (Cronbach’s coefficient α = 0.833, n = 126), confirming good internal consistency. To demonstrate its utility, the new tool was applied to a set of educational initiatives, helping to highlight their pedagogical strengths and areas for improvement. As an accessible and scalable instrument, e-PIGI aims to support reflective teaching practices, promote ongoing developments, and facilitate the comparison of innovation across diverse educational contexts. This software highlights the potential of e-PIGI to contribute to a more evidence-based and strategically guided culture of innovation in education.

Pesticides are chemical substances widely used to control, prevent, or eliminate pests in agriculture, gardening, and other sectors. However, their use poses risks to human health, and recent regulatory efforts have focused on minimizing exposure and monitoring residue levels. In this study, the separation of seven pesticides was investigated using supercritical fluid chromatography coupled to diode-array detection (SFC-DAD). The influence of six different stationary phases and various organic modifiers, as well as additional parameters such as temperature, pressure, and the presence of additives, was systematically evaluated to optimize the chromatographic conditions. The best separation performance was achieved using a LiChrospher^® 100 DIOL column with methanol as the organic modifier under a gradient program. Analyses were carried out at a flow rate of 3 mL/min, a column temperature of 35 °C, and a system back pressure of 150 bar, resulting in a total analysis time of approximately 4 min. The optimized method allowed for a faster separation of the selected agricultural pesticides by SFC-DAD compared to conventional chromatographic techniques.

The increasing demand for bee-derived products such as honey and bee pollen has led to a rise in adulteration and mislabeling, making it essential to develop reliable tools for authentication. Lipids, which are found in both matrices, are potential biomarkers for tracing their origin and may be used for detecting fraud. In this work, a solid–liquid extraction using hexane:isopropanol (10:1, v/v) followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was optimized. The method was applied for tentative lipid screening of 15 honeys and 13 bee pollens showing a total number of lipids above 700, including fatty acyls, glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, and sterol lipids. For the first time, a principal component analysis was carried out for botanical and geographical origin, classifying most of the samples correctly. Additionally, the method was categorized as green (environmentally friendly) and blue (practical).

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly present across all phases of analytical chemistry, not only in experimental workflows but also in the way scientific writing is produced, evaluated, and published. This perspective offers a critical reflection on the growing use of AI tools as writing copilots in the field, focusing on novel yet underexplored practices such as literature review support, manuscript drafting, and AI-assisted peer review. While tools like ChatGPT, SciSpace, and Grammarly are becoming commonplace in manuscript preparation, their integration also raises important concerns about authorship transparency, originality, and the homogenization of scientific voice. The article highlights both the opportunities and limitations of these technologies. A comparative analysis is presented to summarize the main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with AI use in scientific communication. This work advocates for the responsible adoption of these tools, the development of ethical guidelines, and the inclusion of AI training in analytical chemistry curricula. By encouraging the scientific community to reflect on these changes collectively, we expect to ensure that AI enhances, rather than undermines, the critical thinking and creativity that define scientific authorship.

This work is based on the development and optimization of a pressurized liquid extraction method to obtain extracts from peanut shells with the highest possible amount/number of bioactive compounds, mainly flavonoids, with senolytic activity and antioxidant capacity. To achieve optimal extraction conditions, a design of experiments approach was employed to perform a limited and relatively reduced number of experiments. The extracts were consecutively analyzed by methods adapted to the peanut shell matrix to determine antioxidant capacity, total flavonoids, and total phenolic compounds. Additionally, a high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection method was developed and validated to quantify individual phenolic compounds, with confirmation provided by mass spectrometry. Moreover, amino acid profiling was performed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Finally, the optimized extraction conditions and analytical methods were applied to analyze six commercial peanut shell samples. The results indicate that the optimized pressurized liquid extraction method using ethanol effectively extracts substantial amounts of bioactive compounds, especially flavonoids, which have broad applications across different industries. This contributes to a strategic valorization approach that promotes a Circular Economy. Graphical Abstract