Fast analysis of polyphenols and alkaloids in cocoa-based products by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS). (September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rodríguez-Carrasco, Yelko; Gaspari, Anna; Graziani, Giulia; Santini, Antonello; Ritieni, Alberto
• Is Part Of: Food research international. Volume 111(2018)
• Page Start: 229
• Page End: 236
• Publication Date: 2018-09
• Subjects: Cocoa -- Polyphenols -- Alkaloids -- Q-Exactive Orbitrap -- Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography -- High-resolution mass spectrometry -- Food analysis; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food industry and trade -- Periodicals; Food industry and trade -- Canada -- Periodicals; Food Technology -- Periodicals; Food -- Periodicals; Food-Processing Industry -- Periodicals; Aliments -- Industrie et commerce -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Industrie et commerce -- Canada -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Food industry and trade; Canada; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 664.005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2018.05.032
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0963-9969

Abstract

Abstract: The cocoa varieties Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario, which have different organoleptic properties, quite often are mixed together in cocoa-based products. The objective of this work was to develop a rapid method for the simultaneous determination of polyphenols ( n = 35 ) and alkaloids ( n = 2 ) in cocoa-based products by using the high throughput advantages provided by the Q Exactive Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer (HRMS). The proposed procedure was optimized and validated in terms of selectivity and specificity (mass accuracy <5 ppm), sensitivity (instrumental limit of detection from 15 to 30 fg), linearity (r 2 > 0.990), accuracy (recovery range from 89.1 to 112.4%) and precision (relative standard deviation <10%). The method was applied to 80 cocoa-based samples. Alkaloids represented on average the 57.7% of assayed compounds. Flavanols and procyanidins were the most abundant polyphenols being quantified in a range between 261 and 668 mg/kg and from 127 to 405 mg/g, respectively. Mass equivalents but structural isomers bioflavonoids were characterized by using the HRMS-Orbitrap methodology here developed. Graphical abstract: Unlabelled Image Highlights: Main polyphenols and alkaloids in 80 cocoa-based samples were determined UHPLC-Orbitrap HRMS for putative identification of cocoa varieties was developed Method performance fulfilled the validation criteria established in legislation The developed method could help to identify suspicious adulterations in cocoa Promising results here obtained require an extended study to confirm preliminary data