Multielemental Analysis Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Optical Emission Spectroscopy for Tracing the Geographical Origin of Food

The traceability of food plays a crucial role in ensuring food safety, protecting consumer rights, and fostering the sustainable development of the food industry. Among the various traceability technologies available, multielemental analysis has emerged as a robust tool in the field of food traceability due to its distinctive advantages. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) are extensively employed in the determination of multiple elements in food owing to their exceptional sensitivity, capability for multielemental detection, low limits of detection and quantification, as well as remarkable durability and rapid analysis characteristics. This review focuses on the application of ICP-OES and ICP-MS for multielemental analysis in tracing the geographical origin of food over the past three years (2022–2024).