Abstract: Purines are natural substances found in all cells of the body and in virtually all foods, usually existing in foods in chemically combined form. In the body, the final product of purine metabolism is uric acid. However, too high intake of purine-rich foods can increase the level of serum uric acid, which results in hyperuricemia and even gout. With the economic development and the changes in people’s diet structure, the prevalence of hyperuricemia and gout has increased year by year. This paper systematically reviews the methods used for the detection of purine in foods as well as the distribution of purine in different foods and the changes of purine in foods during storage and processing. Meanwhile, future prospects in this area are proposed. It is expected that this review will provide a theoretical basis for developing new purine detection technologies and low-purine foods and eventually reducing gout prevalence.

Key words: purine, detection methods, purine content distribution, storage and processing, progress