The recent developments in the technology of the instrumental analysis have led to faster and cheaper analysis with a decrease in the detection limits and an increase in the specifity and sensitivity. At the research level modem spectroscopic and chromatographic methods are becoming increasingly important as tools for probing complex, heterogeneous systems as well as for analysing trace components. Because of the reduction in size, automatization and simplification of these instruments all these methods can be also used routinely for ensuring the quality of raw material and products. In this article a number of selected methods will be briefly described, illustrating the diversity of their applications.