INFORM May 2026

18 INFORM MAY 2026, VOL. 37, NO. 5

exposure pathways may extend beyond plant-derived foods to include products of animal origin. This possibility highlights the need for more sensitive analytical methods capable of detecting residues not only in oils, but also in feed and animal-derived food products. Other AM25 presentations explored regulatory developments in Europe and

spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) remain the two most widely used approaches. HS-GC-FID has historically been employed to quantify total hexane, reflecting the combined signal of C6 hydrocarbons present in technical hexane. HS-GC-MS, by contrast, provides compound specific identification, allowing individual hexane isomers to be distinguished. While modern GC-FID systems can also separate individual isomers when chromatographic conditions— such as column selection and oven temperature programs— are carefully optimized, many routine analytical methods do not fully resolve these components and instead report total hexane concentrations. Distinguishing isomers has become increasingly important. Current toxicological discussions focus specifically on n-hexane, the isomer associated with neurotoxicity. As a result, analytical techniques capable of distinguishing n-hexane from other C6 hydrocarbons have gained attention. HS-GC-MS, with its ability to provide compound specific identification, therefore offers advantages recently returned to the center of regulatory and scientific discussions. Despite its long history of use, hexane has

in some regulatory contexts. Nevertheless, HS-GC FID remains widely used in industrial laboratories because of its simplicity, robustness, and long history of standardization, and many laboratories continue to report results as total hexane. Beyond traditional gas chromatography, researchers have also explored alternative analytical strategies. Methods based on solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and emerging sensor technologies such as semiconductor metal oxide (SMOX) detectors are emerging and throughput. While these approaches remain largely within the research domain, they illustrate the continuing innovation occurring in this area. Despite these developments, an important challenge remains—method harmonization. Many of the newer approaches have yet to undergo the type of collaborative validation studies needed to demonstrate reproducibility across laboratories. Until such studies are completed, differences in analytical methodology may make it difficult to compare datasets generated by different organizations. Recognizing this need, several scientific and industry organizations have begun exploring ways to update and harmonize analytical as potential tools for improving analytical sensitivity, selectivity,

reviewed emerging alternative extraction solvents, including bio based 2-methyloxolane. Together, these discussions reflected a multidisciplinary effort involving industry, researchers, and regulators to better understand hexane’s

analytical detection, exposure pathways, regulatory outlook, and possible technology alternatives. NEW ANALYTICAL APPROACHES EMERGING New analytical methods aim to improve specificity and applicability to a wider range of matrices, with sensitivity in the low or sub-ppm range. The goal is to ensure hexane residues can be detected at or below regulatory limits. Most of these efforts are built on established chromatographic techniques. Headspace gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization detection (HS-GC-FID) and headspace gas chromatography–mass