Formation, Toxicity, and Analytical Techniques for Small-Molecule α-Dicarbonyl Compounds in Foods

Small-molecule α-dicarbonyl compounds (α-DCs), including glyoxal, methylglyoxal and diacetyl, are electrophilic compounds characterized by two adjacent carbonyls. These compounds ubiquitously occur in various foods and food–medicine homologous herbs, generated via the Maillard reaction, caramelization, lipid peroxidation, and enzymatic reactions during thermal treatment and storage. Upon oral intake, small-molecule α-DCs are rapidly absorbed into systemic circulation, triggering protein and DNA damage, as well as inflammation. They also serve as important precursors to derive other hazards, such as advanced glycosylation end products possessing carcinogenic and genotoxic properties. Small-molecule α-DCs and their derived harmful products accelerate the progression of multiple metabolic diseases, e.g., cancer and diabetes. However, their pathological processes remain poorly elucidated, necessitating highly sensitive and accurate analytical methods. This review also systematically summarizes and discusses the current analytical techniques targeting small-molecule α-DCs. Chromatography and chromatography–mass spectrometry are still frequently used techniques. Given the polarity and weak ultraviolet absorption of small-molecule α-DCs, tedious pretreatment is necessary yet time-consuming. Novel rapid detection techniques such as mass spectrometry probes and direct ionization mass spectrometry have been proposed in recent years. Even so, developing rapid, eco-friendly, highly sensitive and accurate analytical methods remains a key priority for future research.