Liquid chromatographic method for the analysis of tocopherols in malt sprouts with supercritical fluid extraction

Separation and determination of tocopherols in vegetable oils by solid phase extraction on porous polymers SPE cartridges and capillary gas chromatography analysis

In this study we present the solid phase extraction selectivity of tocopherols from vegetable oils using four porous polymers (Porapak P, Porapak Q, Porapak QS, Porapak N). The tocopherols elution from SPE cartridges was performed using several hexanes:ethyl acetate mixtures (100:0, 95:5, 90:10, 85:15, v/v). Tocopherols (α, γ and δ-tocopherol) were analyzed by gas chromatography without any derivation steep. The amount of NaOH used for triglyceride removal was optimized. Particularly liquid-liquid and solid phase extraction methods for the extraction of tocopherols from vegetable oils were compared. The results confirmed that porous polymers represent promising SPE alternatives for the extraction of tocopherols from oils.

Rapid determination by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography of Vitamins A and E in infant formulas

A rapid, sensitive method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of retinol acetate, delta-, gamma-, alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopherol acetate. We compare two experimental procedures for simultaneous direct solvent extraction of these vitamins without previous saponification. Method I: the fat milk sample was extracted with ethanol-hexane and injected directly into the chromatographic column. Method II: the power milk sample was extracted with ethanol-hexane and also injected directly into the column. Under optimum conditions the limits of detection for retinol acetate, delta-, gamma-, alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopherol acetate were 0.33, 21.2, 32.9, 32.5 and 3.2 ng and the limits of quantification were 0.42, 25.3, 37.9, 36.8 and 6.3 ng, respectively. The precision results showed that the relative standard deviations of repeatability and reproducibility were between 0.74 and 5.7%.

Recent applications of sample preparation techniques in food analysis

Even with the emergence of advanced techniques of separation and identification, it is rarely possible to analyse food without manipulation. The traditional techniques for sample preparation are time consuming and require large amount of reagents, which are expensive, generate considerable waste, contaminate the sample and can enrich it for analytes. The more analytical techniques have become highly developed, the more has sample clean-up become important in order to fully take advantage of them. Due to the multiplicity of food matrices, it is not possible to use one sample preparation technique, so many methods have been proposed for meeting all the requirements. The newest variations of wet digestion, solvent and sorbent extraction and membrane separation are summarised and their most recent applications to food analysis are provided.