Hydrolyzable tannin analysis in food

► Hydrolyzable tannins (HTs) is one of the most studied group of polyphenolic compounds. ► HTs influence both food quality and safety and are widely distributed in foodstuff. ► Some historical issues of the analysis of HTs are mentioned. ► The state of art methods of HTs food analytical chemistry in food is resumed. The discovery of plant polyphenols in food is perhaps one of the biggest breakthroughs in modern food science. Plant polyphenols are known for their role in food quality and safety, since they contribute significantly to taste, flavour, colour, stability etc., while they are increasingly recognised as important factors in long-term health, contributing towards reducing the risk of chronic disease. Almost 200years ago, hydrolyzable tannins (HTs) were the first group of plant polyphenols subjected to analytical chemical research. Despite the lack of commercially available standards, food analysis research offers a wealth of papers dealing with extraction optimisation, identification and quantification of HTs. The object of this review is to summarise analytical chemistry applications and the tools currently used for the analysis of HTs in food.