Identification of hydrolyzed inulin syrup and high-fructose corn syrup in apple juice by capillary gas chromatography: PVM 4:1999.

A peer-verified, gas chromatographic (GC) method is presented for the identification of hydrolyzed inulin syrup (HIS) and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in apple juice. The procedure involves determining the Brix value of the apple juice or apple juice concentrate and preparing a dilution of the test sample to 5.5 degrees Brix. A 100 microL aliquot of the 5.5 degrees Brix test solution is then freeze-dried in a GC autosampler vial. The sugars in the freeze-dried residue are converted to trimethylsilyl derivatives, by the addition of an appropriate silylation reagent, and the vial is heated at 75 degrees C for 30 min. After derivatization, the solution is introduced into a gas chromatograph where the analytes are separated on a 30 m, 0.25 mm id DB-5 column. The method can use hydrogen, helium, or nitrogen as the carrier gas. The analytes and marker compounds are measured by use of a flame ionization detecone of the 2 syrups at 2 levels. Dilution was ascertained by the presence of retrograde sugar markers found in the 2 sugar syrups. All 3 laboratories involved in the study were able to identify the correct diluent in the blind, randomly coded, apple juice test portions. The levels of dilution in the test portions were 0, 6.9% (HIS), 16.0% (HIS), 8.1% (HFCS), and 17.0% (HFCS). No false positive results were reported. Quantitative conclusions can be drawn when the same syrup is used for dilution and as a reference standard.

Ethyl carbamate levels resulting from azodicarbonamide use in bread.

Azodicarbonamide (ADA), a dough conditioner, is an additive approved in the US up to a maximum of 45 mg/kg in flour. The addition of 45 mg/kg of ADA was investigated and found to increase the ethyl carbamate (EC) content of commercially prepared breads by 1-3 micrograms/kg. A similar increase in EC was observed in breads baked in the laboratory with a bread machine. The increase in EC levels appears to depend on a variety of factors, most notably the concentration of ADA added and the time of fermentation. The addition of 20 mg/kg ADA caused only a slight increase, if any, in commercial products but a 2.3 micrograms/kg increase of EC in breads baked with a bread machine. When 100 mg/kg of ascorbic acid was added along with ADA, smaller EC increases were observed. Addition of urea was also found to enhance the EC content of the bread. Toasting, which was previously shown to increase EC levels, caused even larger increases when ADA or urea had been added.

Screening method for the gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric determination of microgram/litre levels of bromate in bottled water.

Bromate can be formed as a by-product of ozone treatment that is sometimes used for the disinfection of municipal water supplies and bottled waters. The US Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 micrograms/l for bromate in public drinking water. Should the proposed MCL for bromate become final, it may then be considered for adoption as a bottled water quality standard by the US Food and Drug Administration. This paper reports the development of a gas chromatographic/ mass spectrometric (GC/MS) method for the determination of parts-per-billion (microgram/l) levels of bromate (BrO3-) in bottled water. The GC/MS method was validated by using distilled and deionized Milli-Q water; detection limits, quantitation limits, and recoveries were determined and identities were confirmed by MS on the basis of analyses of test portions fortified with BrO3- at 0.8, 3.8, 7.7, 15, and 46 micrograms/l. The method also was evaluated on the basis of recoveries determined for two commercial brands of bottled water fortified with BrO3- at 3.8 and 7.7 micrograms/l and two commercial brands fortified at 0.8, 3.8, and 7.7 micrograms/l. For the Milli-Q water, recoveries ranged from 100 to 121%; for the fortified commercial products, recoveries ranged from 87 to 115%. The limits of detection and quantitation were determined to be 0.4 and 0.7 microgram/l, respectively. Several commercial brands of bottled water were analysed, and BrO3- was found in these products at levels ranging from none to 38 micrograms/l.

Determination of ethyl carbamate in alcoholic beverages and soy sauce by gas chromatography with mass selective detection: collaborative study.

A method using gas chromatography with mass selective detection for the determination of ethyl carbamate (EC; also known as urethane) in alcoholic beverages and soy sauce was collaboratively studied by 17 laboratories including authors' laboratories. The method uses prepacked columns for extraction of liquids with methylene chloride, and n-propyl carbamate as the internal standard. A practice sample and 6 samples of distilled spirits, fortified wines, table wines, and soy sauces were analyzed by each collaborator. Each matrix included blind duplicates of incurred and fortified EC at 3 levels. Distilled spirits contained 50-330 ng EC/g (ppb), fortified wine 40-160 ppb, table wine 10-50 ppb, and soy sauce 15-70 ppb. The ranges of the repeatability relative standard deviations, excluding outliers, were 4.03-6.63% for distilled spirits, 4.01-5.05% for fortified wine, 3.94-6.73% for table wine, and 4.70-8.49% for soy sauce. The ranges of the reproducibility relative standard deviations, excluding outliers, were 8.53-9.49% for distilled spirits, 6.84-12.02% for fortified wine, 8.86-18.47% for table wine, and 13.87-27.37% for soy sauce. Recoveries of added EC ranged from 87 to 93%. Recoveries relative to reference values, labeled as the internal standard, obtained by using gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer ranged from 89 to 100%.

Ethyl carbamate levels in selected fermented foods and beverages.

Ethyl carbamate (EC), also known as urethane, is an animal carcinogen and a by-product of fermentation. Because EC has been found in distilled spirits and wines, a variety of fermented foods and beverages were analyzed to assess its occurrence in other products. Previously described methods using a gas chromatograph-thermal energy analyzer with a nitrogen converter were modified for each matrix and gave recoveries of greater than 80%, with a limit of detection in the 1-2 micrograms/kg (ppb) range. A total of 152 test samples were analyzed; EC levels ranged from none found to 3 ppb in 15 cheeses, 6 teas, 12 yogurts, and 8 ciders; from none found to 13 ppb in 30 breads and 69 malt beverages; and from none found to 84 ppb in 12 soy sauces. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry was used to confirm EC identity and to quantitate EC in selected food extracts.

Rapid gas chromatographic method for determining ethyl carbamate in alcoholic beverages with thermal energy analyzer detection.

A rapid column elution method has been developed for the determination of ethyl carbamate (EC) in alcoholic beverages. The beverage is mixed with Celite and packed in a column containing deactivated alumina capped with a layer of sodium sulfate. EC is then eluted with methylene chloride. The method, using a gas chromatograph-thermal energy analyzer with a nitrogen converter for detection and quantitation of EC, has been applied to a variety of alcoholic beverages. Recoveries +/- standard deviations of EC in wine and whisky fortified at the 20 and 133 micrograms/kg (ppb) levels averaged 87.3 +/- 5.3 and 88.7 +/- 3.6%, respectively. The method has a limit of detection of 1.5 ppb. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry was used to confirm the identity and quantitation of EC in selected beverage extracts.

Current trends in levels of volatile N-nitrosamines in fried bacon and fried-out bacon fat.

Commercially processed bacon samples purchased from the Washington, DC, retail market have been periodically analyzed since 1971 for the presence of volatile N-nitrosamines in the fried product. During that time, a downward trend in the concentration of N-nitrosopyrrolidine has been observed, and between 1978 and 1980 it plateaued at 4-30 ppb, with an average of 11 ppb. A recent survey, however, indicates a change in this downward trend, with N-nitrosopyrrolidine found at levels ranging from 1 to 65 ppb, average 21 ppb. Volatile N-nitrosamines were found at levels up to 110 ppb in the fried product and up to 85 ppb in the fried-out bacon fat.

Reduction in levels of volatile N-nitrosamines in rubber nipples for babies' bottles.

Levels of volatile N-nitrosamines were determined in 189 samples of rubber nipples for babies' bottles. Domestic (US-manufactured) and imported rubber nipples for consumer and hospital use were analysed to determine compliance with the US Food and Drug Administration's action level of 60 ppb (b = 10(9] for total volatile N-nitrosamines. Only one sample was found to be in violation of the action level; it contained a total of 137 ppb N-nitrosamines.