Among the key processes in analytical chemistry, sample preparation remains an active, attractive field to be explored in the search for better quality and better performance in the determination of bioactive compounds in foods. Although sample preparation, in general, and extraction techniques, in particular, have seen relatively slow progress in recent decades, new approaches and strategies are being developed to maximize their potential to obtain faster, more selective, more efficient and more reliable results. Among these approaches and strategies, hyphenation and combination of different techniques are increasingly used not only to improve the extraction step but also with other sample-preparation procedures. The overall objective of this article is not to provide a comprehensive review on sample preparation, but rather to give a balanced outline of the state of technology, and the latest advances and directions in the field, and to encourage greater interest in critical processes in the determination of bioactive compounds in foods. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.