Open Access: Metabolomics Journals

Metabolomics is the study of identification and quantification of small molecules present in biological systems. Metabolomics analyses of biological samples involves getting a metabolic profile using analytical technologies and analyzing the data generated by these platforms to gain insight into the system’s metabolic state. Metabolomics was most recently introduced among the Omics to analyze low molecular weight compounds in different biological systems and fields of research. Metabolomics analysis can be categorized into two approaches, targeted and untargeted metabolomics. In targeted metabolomics, the metabolites selected for quantification are known a priori, as defined by the biological problem and may represent specific pathway or class of molecules. Untargeted metabolomics, on the other hand, is used to determine as many metabolites as possible and involves both metabolites quantification and their identification. The aim is to review the steps in metabolomics analysis, starting with sample preparation through metabolite identification and data interpretation, and to discuss, as well, the applications of metabolomics in different fields. Metabolomics is a systems biology tool useful in the study of the plurality of chemical processes involving intermediates and products of metabolism within an organism, cell or tissue. Food metabolomics can be defined as the application of metabolomics in food systems “from farm to human”.