The present chapter aims to provide a brief overview of the environmentally
friendly solvents most commonly used in food analysis, including water, carbon
dioxide, ethanol, ionic liquids, (natural) deep eutectic solvents (NA)DES, surfactants,
and switchable solvents. A general outlook of their properties, production sources, and
classification is provided. The advantages and limitations of the use of these solvents in
food analysis are evaluated from the point of view of Green Analytical Chemistry.
Some recent applications have been selected to illustrate the potential of
environmentally friendly solvents in combination with assisted extraction techniques
and miniaturized techniques for the development of green extraction methods in food
analysis.
Keywords: Analytical Chemistry, Environmentally friendly solvents, Food analysis, Green Chemistry, Green extraction, Green solvent, Sample preparation.