Analysis of Azodicarbonamide in Wheat Flour and Prepared Flour Mixes.

Azodicarbonamide (ADA) is used in some countries as a flour bleaching agent and a dough conditioner. However, ADA is prohibited for use as a food additive in Japan. Therefore, it is necessary to establish an efficient and sensitive method to determine ADA in wheat flour. A simple and practical procedure to analyze ADA in wheat flour and prepared flour mixes was developed. ADA was extracted from samples by ultrasonication with acetone. ADA in the solution was derivatized with triphenylphosphine (TPP). The ADA-TPP derivative was concentrated and cleaned up using a reversed-phase solid-phase extraction cartridge, and the ADA-TPP derivative was analyzed using HPLC for determination and LC-MS/MS for identification. Good linearity was achieved over the concentration range of 0.25-100 ppm ADA in wheat flour and prepared flour mixes. The mean recoveries from wheat flour and prepared flour mixes fortified at the levels of 1 and 10 ppm ranged from 86.9 to 101.0%, and the coefficients of variation ranged from 1.9 to 3.4%.

[Analysis of anthocyanins in dietary supplements containing blueberry extract].

An extraction and analytical method was developed for determination of the content and profiles of anthocyanins in commercial dietary supplements containing blueberry extract. Dietary supplements were refluxed with hydrochloric acid-methanol solution, and spectrophotometric assay was performed to evaluate the total anthocyanidin content in extracted solutions as delphinidin, which is one of the anthocyanidins in blueberry extract. Twenty compounds (15 anthocyanins and 5 anthocyanidins) in extracted solutions were separated by HPLC analysis with gradient elution using formic acid and methanol-acetonitrile as the mobile phase, and each peak was confirmed by LC/MS analysis. The proposed method was applied to 25 kinds of commercial dietary supplements, and one supplement whose profile was different from that of the fresh bilberry extract was found.

Rapid determination of cyclamate in foods by solid-phase extraction and capillary electrophoresis.

A method for the determination of cyclamate in food was developed using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and capillary electrophoresis (CE) with indirect ultraviolet (UV) detection. A 5-10 g sample in 0.1 mol/L hydrochloric acid was homogenized and made up to a volume of 50 mL with 0.1 mol/L hydrochloric acid. After the sample was centrifuged, 25 mL of supernatant was loaded into an Oasis HLB SPE cartridge. The cartridge was washed with 2 mL of demineralized water followed by 2 mL of 50% aqueous methanol, and cyclamate was eluted with 4.5 mL of 50% aqueous methanol. The eluate was added to a solution of sodium propionate (internal standard) for CE analysis. The cyclamate in the eluate was electrophoresed on a fused-silica capillary using 1 mmol/L hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide and 10 mmol/L potassium sorbate as a running buffer. Detection and reference wavelengths of cyclamate determined with a UV detector were 300 and 254 nm, respectively. The calibration curves for cyclamate showed good linearity in the range of 2-1000 microg/mL and the limits of detection in beverage, fruit in syrup, jam, pickles and confectionary are sample dependent and ranged from 5-10 microg/g. The recovery of cyclamate added at a level of 200 microg/g to various kinds of foods was 93.3-108.3% and the relative standard deviation was less than 4.9% (n=3). A number of commercial samples were analyzed using the proposed method. Cyclamate was detected in one waume, two pickles, and two sunflower seeds. The quantitative values determined with CE correlated to those from high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) (the detected values of cyclamate in a sunflower seed measured by CE and HPLC were 3.40 g/kg and 3.51 g/kg, respectively). This analytical method for cyclamate using CE is especially suitable for use in the field.

Liquid chromatographic analysis of cinchona alkaloids in beverages.

A method for the determination of Cinchona extract (whose main components are the alkaloids cinchonine, cinchonidine, quinidine, and quinine) in beverages by liquid chromatography was developed. A beverage with an alcohol content of more than 10% was loaded onto an OASIS HLB solid-phase extraction cartridge, after it was adjusted to pH 10 with 28% ammonium hydroxide. Other beverages were centrifuged at 4000 rpm for 5 min, and the supernatant was loaded onto the cartridge. The cartridge was washed with water followed by 15% methanol, and the Cinchona alkaloids were eluted with methanol. The Cinchona alkaloids in the eluate were chromatographed on an L-column ODS (4.6 mm id x 150 mm) with methanol and 20 mmol/L potassium dihydrogen phosphate (3 + 7) as the mobile phase. Cinchona alkaloids were monitored with an ultraviolet (UV) detector at 230 nm, and with a fluorescence detector at 405 nm for cinchonine and cinchonidine and 450 nm for quinidine and quinine (excitation at 235 nm). The calibration curves for Cinchona alkaloids with the UV detector showed good linearity in the range of 2-400 microg/mL. The detection limit of each Cinchona alkaloid, taken to be the concentration at which the absorption spectrum could be identified, was 2 microg/mL. The recovery of Cinchona alkaloids added at a level of 100 microg/g to various kinds of beverages was 87.6-96.5%, and the coefficients of variation were less than 3.3%. A number of beverage samples, some labeled to contain bitter substances, were analyzed by the proposed method. Quinine was detected in 2 samples of carbonated beverage.

[Confirmation of non-permitted dyes detected in Akasu (red vinegar) by LC/MS].

Suitable liquid chromatography/mass spetrometry (LC/MS) conditions were examined for Amaranth, Red 2G (R2G), Azo Rubine (Azo), Fast Red E (FRE) and Brilliant Blue FCF, which were detected in Akasu, a red vinegar made in Hong Kong from sake lees, on both thin layer chromatography (TLC) and photodiode array high-performance liquid chromatography (PDA-HPLC). Molecular-related ions for each dye were detected with excellent sensitivity by LC/MS using electro-spray ionization with negative ion mode, capillary voltage 3.00 kV, cone voltage 50 V and desolvation temperature 400 degrees C. LC/MS analysis of refined Akasu under these conditions enabled us to obtain clear mass spectra of R2G, Azo and FRE, which were present at trace levels in the Akasu. The results were consistent with those from TLC and PDA-HPLC. These experiments suggested that LC/MS analysis is applicable for confirmation of dyes in food.

[Structural analysis of unknown dyes detected in hajikami (ginger pickled in vinegar)].

Hajikami (ginger pickled in vinegar) is often used as a relish for grilled fish, and it often contains coloring agents. We detected Rose Bengal (R105) and two unknown dyes in some Hajikami by thin layer chromatography. In this study, we tried to characterize these unknown dyes by HPLC with photodiode array detection (PDA-HPLC), liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). PDA-HPLC analysis showed that the spectra of the unknown dyes resembled that of R105, suggesting the molecular structures of these two dyes are similar to that of R105. Furthermore, LC/MS analysis suggested that the these dyes are R105 in which one or two iodines are replaced by hydrogen. Finally, the two dyes were determined by 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR to be 4,5,6,7-tetrachloro-3',6'-dihydroxy-2',7'-diiodo spiro[isobenzofuran- 1 (3H),9'-[9H]xanthen]-3-one disodium salt and 4,5,6,7-tetrachloro-3',6'-dihydroxy-2',7'-diiodo spiro[isobenzofuran-1(3H),9'[9H]xanthen]-3-one disodium salt.

[Determination of synthetic food dyes in food by capillary electrophoresis].

A method for the determination of 12 synthetic food dyes (Amaranth, Erythrosine, Allura Red AC, New Coccine, Phloxine, Rose Bengal, Acid Red, Tartrazine, Sunset Yellow FCF, Fast Green FCF, Brilliant Blue FCF, Indigo Carmine) in food was developed using capillary electrophoresis (CE) with photodiode array detection. The dyes were extracted with water and 0.5% ammonia-ethanol (1:1) mixture, and cleaned up using solid-phase extraction (Sep-Pak Plus tC18). The dyes were eluted with methanol from the cartridge. The dyes were separated by CE on a bubble cell fused-silica capillary (72 cm to the detector, 75 microm i.d.) using 20% acetonitrile in a mixture of 10 mmol/L potassium phosphate, monobasic and 5 mmol/L sodium carbonate (pH 10.0) as the running buffer. Identifications of the dyes were performed on the basis of the migration time and the absorbance spectrum of each peak. The coefficients of variation of the migration times and the peak areas were 0.28-0.62% and 1.84-4.30%, respectively (n = 5). The identification limits using the absorbance spectra of the dyes were 10 microg/mL for Brilliant Blue FCF and Fast Green FCF, and 5 microg/mL for the other 10 dyes. The recoveries of the 12 dyes from pickles, soft drinks and candies at the level of 10 microg/g were 70.0-101.5%. The method was applied to the analysis of dyes in foods. The dyes detected by CE were in agreement with those detected by paper chromatography.

[Simultaneous determination of five antioxidants in food by HPLC with fluorescence detection].

An HPLC method with fluorescence detection was developed for the determination of propyl gallate, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, butylated hydroxyanisole (2- and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole), tert-butylhydroquinone and octyl gallate in edible oils and foods. The antioxidants in edible oil were isolated directly with acetonitrile saturated with n-hexane. The antioxidants in food were extracted with ethyl acetate and the extract was concentrated under vacuum. They were isolated from the residue with acetonitrile saturated with n-hexane. The acetonitrile layer was centrifuged at 5,000 rpm for 10 min. The HPLC separation was performed on a Symmetry C18 column (3.5 microns, 4.6 mm i.d. x 150 mm) using a mixture of 5% acetic acid-acetonitrile-methanol (4:3:3, v/v/v) as the mobile phase and monitored by using a fluorescence detector with time programming. Sample peaks were identified by comparison of the fluorescence spectra with those of antioxidant standards. Average recoveries of fortified antioxidants at 100 micrograms/g were 72.1-99.6%. Coefficients of variation were 0.7-7.2%.

[Determination of sucralose in foods by HPLC using pre-column derivatization].

The development of a sensitive pre-column derivatization high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for determination of sucralose is reported. Sucralose is converted into a strongly ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing derivative, possessing strong absorption at 260 nm, by treatment with p-nitrobenzoyl chloride (PNBCl). Homogenized samples were dialyzed and washed with a Bond Elut ENV cartridge, then the eluate was evaporated to dryness and the residue was derivatized. Subsequently, the sucralose derivative was purified with hexane-ethyl actate (9:1) in a silica cartridge, and then the sucralose derivative was eluted with acetone. HPLC was performed on a phenyl column, using acetonitrile-water (73:27) as a mobile phase with UV detection (260 nm). The calibration curve was linear in the range of 1 microgram/mL to 50 micrograms/mL of sucralose. The recoveries of sucralose from eight kinds of foods spiked at the levels of 0.20 and 0.05 g/kg of sucralose were more than 76.2% with SD values in the range from 0.90% to 4.31%. The quantitative limit of the developed method was 0.005 g/kg for sucralose in samples.