Food and Beverage Analysis

This article describes the method development involved in the authentication of nutraceuticals, particularly those containing Panax ginseng, which is popular because of possible positive effects on human health.

This method for PFAS analysis in milk and infant formula is robust, reliable, and reproducible, with scope to expand the list of PFAS in the future.

In our study, a fast and sensitive liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method for the determination of vitamin D2 in fresh mushrooms and its metabolite 25(OH)D2 in the blood of volunteers regularly consuming UV-treated mushrooms has been introduced.

Per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS) are found in our food. Sensitive, precise, and accurate analytical methods are needed to estimate human exposure to these chemicals. A comparative study was performed between two extraction and cleanup methods (solid-phase extraction [SPE] and dispersive SPE) for the analysis of PFAS in apples. Both methods showed excellent sensitivity, precision, and accuracy. dSPE has some benefits over conventional SPE, and vice versa. The advantages and disadvantages of both methods are discussed.

The aim of this study was to develop an efficient method to enable a rapid determination of nine 3-MCPDEs and seven GEs in vegetable oils within a single run employing supercritical fluid chromatography coupled to high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (SFC–HRMS/MS).

The Column spoke to Philipp Weller from the Institute of Instrumental Analytics and Bioanalytics at the Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Germany, about the benefits of nontargeted screening approaches in food safety and environmental analysis using GC–IMS, and the best way to approach data processing and model building with the generated data.

Pesticide testing is crucial to assessing the safety of fruits and vegetables for consumption. The traditional extraction method for pesticides from produce is the QuEChERS method. This method is tedious, manual, time consuming, and wasteful. Thus, there is a need for improved methods of extraction. In this application note, the EDGE®, in combination with Q-Matrix™ Hydra, a water-removing sorbent, was used to extract a panel of pesticides from 10 g of homogenized cucumber, tomato, and green pepper in less than 9 min. The recoveries of the pesticide panel were greater than 70% for each matrix tested, and these results were highly reproducible. The EDGE provides a fully automated extraction that combines both the sample and sorbent into one sample vessel, alleviating the human burden of extraction and the need for multiple sample transfers.

Rudolf Krska and Michael Sulyok from the University of Natural Resources and Life Science in Vienna, Austria, discuss their recent work developing a multi‑analyte approach using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), and the issues surrounding agrocontaminants in animal feeds.

A high-speed and simultaneous analysis of common active ingredients used in mouthwashes on a C18 column

QuEChERS has been updated to suit modern instrumentation. Now also “efficient and robust,” QuEChERSER is a “mega-method” that covers a wider polarity range.

A rapid LC–MS method using ESI coupled with SIM-MS for analysis of humulone and isohumulone content in beer is described.

We examine the rapid growth of green microextraction techniques, such as molecular imprinted polymer solid-phase extraction (MISPE), in the field of food quality and safety, and how this technique is used for bisphenol A (BPA) analysis.

Multiple-cumulative trapping headspace extraction coupled with high-concentration-capacity tools, such as SPME, enhances sensitivity of volatiles, as illustrated here in food analysis.

Ionic liquids (IL) are a very versatile tool for natural product and food analysis. When combined with moieties with different functional groups, ILs can be tuned to obtain extraction media with different properties and selectivity.

LCGC Europe spoke to Hans-Gerd Janssen from the Unilever Foods Innovation Centre in The Netherlands, about the advantages of a novel, rapid method to analyze antioxidants that inhibit oxidation, and he explains that the maturity of GC technology is actually an advantage to the analyst.

This 7-minute method enables easy analysis of bitter flavors in beer.

Trace-level pesticides and environmental pollutants in the food supply continue to be a worldwide concern. Here we present a fast-screening workflow for residual pesticides present on the surface of fruits using a GC–MS system with direct heating technology and MS spectral deconvolution.

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by fungal species often found in agricultural products. An accurate method for analyzing 12 regulated mycotoxins is described using UHPLC–MS/MS. The method demonstrated limits of quantitation (LOQs) for all analytes below stringent regulatory limits, making the method suitable for routine mycotoxin analysis.

Hydrolyzed collagens (collagen peptides) are water-soluble products obtained by hydrolysis of natural proteins and used for dietary supplements. A simple GPC/SEC method is described for molar mass determination of collagen peptides, allowing reliable molar mass determination using ultraviolet (UV) detection.

A fully automated quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction and extract clean-up method is described for analysis of organophosphate pesticides in orange juice. This method uses GC–MS and LC–MS along with an industry standard robotic x,y,z-sampling system.

This symposium looks at various methods used to detect PFAS in foods, cosmetics, packaging, and commercial products.

An overview of the analytical approaches proposed, from sample preparation to the final chromatographic determination, for the reliable risk assessment of mineral oil hydrocarbon (MOH) contaminants in food. The analysis of these contaminants in food is a challenging task and requires a comprehensive approach to tackle the cumbersome issues related to their determination.

LCGC is seeking contributed manuscripts for an April 2021 supplement on food and beverage analysis.

An increasing range of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been found migrating from food contact material into food. This article establishes an integrated analytical approach combining HPLC–MS/MS and GC–MS/MS to detect 36 such PFAS.

High-capacity sorptive extraction combined with thermal desorption–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (TD–GC–MS) can improve on traditional methods for the analysis of VOCs and other trace analytes that contribute to the aroma, flavor, and safety of food products.