Development and validation of a screening and quantification method for simultaneous determination of seven fluorescent whitening agents in commercial flour using UPLC–MS/MS. (15th March 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Yuluan; Xian, Yanping; Guo, Xindong; Chen, Liwei; Zhao, Xiaojuan; Wang, Bin; Wang, Li
• Is Part Of: Food chemistry. Volume 243(2018)
• Page Start: 162
• Page End: 167
• Publication Date: 2018-03-15
• Subjects: Fluorescent whitening agents (FWAs) -- Screening -- Flour -- Ultra high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS); Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food -- Composition -- Periodicals; 664
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.09.110
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0308-8146

Abstract

Highlights: The fluorescent whitening agents analysis was firstly reported in flour matrix. UPLC–MS/MS was adopted in the analysis given its sensitivity and accuracy. Method with wonderful linearity and precision was easy to implement. Simplicity of analysis allows its application for a large number of samples. The method is a good tool enabling the determination of FWAs in flour. Abstract: A sensitive UPLC–MS/MS method was established for the simultaneous determination of seven fluorescent whitening agents in flour matrix. Samples were ultrasonically extracted by trichloromethane-acetone. Then analytes were separated on a C18 column and detected by MS/MS. The developed method was validated in terms of the linearity, matrix effect, accuracy and precision. The method showed a good linearity ( r > 0.997) for all analytes in their respective concentration ranges. The LOQ for seven analytes were in the range of 2.5–25.0 μg/kg. The matrix effect was not significant and almost negligible. The average recoveries of seven analytes from the negative samples spiked at three different concentrations were in a range from 81.5% to 105%. The intra-day precision and inter-day precision were in the ranges of 2.9–9.0% and 6.7–11.2%. The developed method was successfully applied to analyze forty commercial flours and FWA184 was detected in three samples with the concentrations of 31–60 µg/kg.