Thin-layer chromatography applied in quality assessment of beverages derived from fruits

The analysis of food products is important for the assessment of food quality and authenticity, the control of a technological process, the determination of nutritional values, and the detection of compounds which could exert beneficial or toxic effects on human health. Techniques which are usually chosen for these purposes must provide accurate and reliable results, being relatively simple and inexpensive to perform. The aim of this paper is to give a brief overview of the thin-layer chromatography methods for the analysis of different compounds (polyphenols, dyes, carboxylic acids, biogenic amines, and vitamin C), used for quality assessment and authentication of non-fermented or fermented beverages derived from fruits, namely fruit juices and wines. [GRAPHICS] .