Phytosterols in Plant-Derived Foods: Recent Updates in Extraction and Analysis Methods

• Published in: Critical reviews in analytical chemistry 2024-11, p.1-19
• Main Authors: Bian, Yu, Zhang, Yuan, Ruan, Ling-Yun, Feng, Xue-Song
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1040-8347; 1547-6510; 1547-6510
• DOI: 10.1080/10408347.2024.2427128

The physiological and officinal functions of phytosterols are of great significance, and recent dietary guidelines have underscored the significance of incorporating them into a balanced diet. Furthermore, it exhibits inhibitory effects on tumor growth, stimulates cellular immunity, possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antidiabetic properties. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of the role of phytosterols in public health, it is crucial to establish simple, rapid, eco-conscious, efficient, and highly sensitive techniques for their extraction and determination across various matrices. This review presents a thorough overview of various techniques used for extracting and analyzing phytosterols in diverse plant-derived foods, encompassing a range of advanced technologies like solid-phase extraction, microextraction, supercritical fluid extraction, QuEChERS, alongside traditional approaches. The detection techniques include liquid chromatography-based methods, gas chromatography-based methods, supercritical fluid chromatography, and other methodologies. Additionally, we conduct a thorough examination and comparison of various techniques while proposing future prospects.