Simultaneous determination of artificial sweeteners, preservatives, caffeine, theobromine and theophylline in food and pharmaceutical preparations by ion chromatography

Amperometric bienzymatic biosensor in flow injection analysis system for determination of aspartame in foods

An amperometric bienzymatic biosensor was developed for the determination of aspartame in a flow injection analysis (FIA) system, consisting of two enzyme reactor columns packed with immobilized α-chymotrypsin (CHY) and alcohol oxidase (AOX) beads and a hydrogen peroxide electrode, connected in series. The CHY and AOX were separately immobilized on glutaraldehyde (GA)-activated beads through covalent bonding. The biosensor fabrication and operational conditions were optimized. The optimal fabrication conditions were: 2% GA with 120 min activation time; and 250 U/mL CHY and 100 U/mL AOX, with 180 min enzyme immobilization time. The optimal operational conditions were a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min and pH 8.0 at room temperature. The developed biosensor showed linearity over the aspartame concentration range 0.01-1.2 mM, with a detection limit of 0.005 mM. The developed biosensor was satisfactorily applied for detecting aspartame in beverage samples without any excessive pretreatments.

Bioelectronic Tongues Mimicking Insect Taste Systems for Real-Time Discrimination between Natural and Artificial Sweeteners

A bioelectronic tongue (B-ET) mimicking insect taste systems is developed for the real-time detection and discrimination of natural and artificial sweeteners. Here, a carbon nanotube field-effect transistor (CNT-FET) was hybridized with nanovesicles including the honeybee sugar taste receptor, gustatory receptor 1 of Apis mellifera (AmGr1). This strategy allowed us to detect glucose, a major component of nectar, down to 100 fM in real time and identify sweet tastants from other tastants. It could also be utilized for the detection of glucose in dextrose tablet solutions. Importantly, we demonstrated the discrimination between natural and artificial sweeteners down to 10 pM even in real beverages such as decaffeinated coffee using our hybrid platform. In this respect, our B-ET mimicking insect taste systems can be a powerful tool for various applications such as food screening and basic studies on insect taste systems.

Efficient sensing of saccharin through interference synthesis of gum ghatti capped silver nanoparticles

The presence of saccharin (SH) could be efficiently sensed (in the concentration range of 5 × 10^-5 M to 5 × 10^-1 M) through the interference synthesis of gum ghatti (GG) capped silver nanoparticles (GGAgNps). The synthesis used sodium borohydride and gum ghatti (GG) as the reducing and capping agents respectively. The strong hydrogen-bonding recognition between GG and SH was responsible for the interference. The intensity of the SPR peak of GGAgNps was found linearly dependent on [SH]. The SH detection was further enhanced when combo capping comprising of GG and chitosan (Ch) (in 1:1 weight ratio) was used while the use of gum acacia (GA) in place of Ch (in combo) decreased the detection sensitivity. The combo polysaccharide solutions had non-Newtonian behaviour and shear thinning property like GG. The method was also applied for the successful detection of SH in commercially available real juice samples.

Combination of large volume sample stacking with polarity switching and cyclodextrin electrokinetic chromatography (LVSS-PS-CDEKC) for the determination of selected preservatives in pharmaceuticals

In this study, a large volume sample stacking (LVSS) with polarity switching (PS) and cyclodextrin electrokinetic chromatography (CDEKC) method has been developed for the simultaneous separation and determination of 8 preservatives: methylparaben (MP), ethylparaben (EP), propylparaben (PP), butylparaben (BP), isobutylparaben (IBP), sorbic acid (SA), benzoic acid (BA), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA) in pharmaceuticals. The effects of some typical parameters such as sample volume, applied voltage, composition and pH of the running buffer and organic modifier concentration were examined and optimized. Moreover, the impact of type and concentration of cyclodextrin as electrolyte modifiers was also investigated. The detection limits of analytes for the elaborated LVSS-PS-CDEKC method were found to be in 0.8-5 ng mL^-1 range, which were around 500 times lower than normal CDEKC without preconcentration technique. All analytes were completely resolved in less than 11 min in an uncoated fused-silica capillary of 75 μm internal diameter (I.D) x 50 cm length. The electrophoretic separation was performed in a 2 mM α-cyclodextrin and 25 mM tetraborate system (pH = 9.3) with an applied voltage of 25 kV. The established method was validated and confirmed to be applicable for the determination of the preservatives in a quality control of pharmaceuticals.

Detection and identification of sugar alcohol sweeteners by ion mobility spectrometry

The rapid and sensitive detection of sugar alcohol sweeteners was demonstrated using ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). IMS provides a valuable alternative in sensitivity, cost, and analysis speed between the lengthy gold-standard liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technique and rapid point-of-measurement disposable colorimetric sensors, for the Food and Nutrition industry's quality control and other "foodomics" area needs. The IMS response, characteristic signatures, and limits of detection for erythritol, pentaerythritol, xylitol, inositol, sorbitol, mannitol, and maltitol were evaluated using precise inkjet printed samples. IMS system parameters including desorption temperature, scan time, and swipe substrate material were examined and optimized, demonstrating a strong dependence on the physicochemical properties of the respective sugar alcohol. The desorption characteristics of each compound were found to dominate the system response and overall sensitivity. Sugar alcohol components of commercial products - chewing gum and a sweetener packet - were detected and identified using IMS. IMS is demonstrated to be an advantageous field deployable instrument, easily operated by non-technical personnel, and enabling sensitive point-of-measurement quality assurance for sugar alcohols.

Comparison of hydrophilic interaction and reversed phase liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of eight artificial sweeteners and common steviol glycosides in popular beverages

Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) was used to separate artificial and natural sweeteners approved for use in European Union (EU). Among three tested HILIC columns (BlueOrchid PAL-HILIC, Ascentis Express Si and Acclaim™ Trinity™ P2) the last one was selected for the development of HILIC method due to the best results obtained with it. Early eluting and coeluting compounds in HILIC (acesulfame-K, saccharin, cyclamate, sucralose and aspartame) were successfully separated by the HILIC-based approach for the first time. The developed HILIC method allows for determination of all high potency sweeteners in one analytical run. The calibration curves for all analytes had good linearity within the tested ranges. The limits of detection and quantitation were in the range 0.81-3.30ng/mL and 2.32-9.89ng/mL, respectively. The obtained recoveries used for trueness and precision estimation were from 98.6% to 106.2% with standard deviation less than 4.1%. Sample preparation was reduced to a necessary minimum and contained only proper dilution and centrifugation. More than twenty samples of beverages were analyzed with the developed HILIC method. Finally, the chromatographic parameters of peaks (reduced retention time, width at baseline, width at 50% of peak height, tailing factor and efficiency) obtained in HILIC mode and in RPLC mode were compared. Developed HILIC method along with RPLC method can be applied for rapid evaluation of sweeteners' content, quality and safety control.

Determination of eight artificial sweeteners and common Stevia rebaudiana glycosides in non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages by reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry

The method for the determination of acesulfame-K, saccharine, cyclamate, aspartame, sucralose, alitame, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, neotame and five common steviol glycosides (rebaudioside A, rebaudioside C, steviol, steviolbioside and stevioside) in soft and alcoholic beverages was developed using high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionisation (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that presents an HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method which allows for the simultaneous determination of all EU-authorised high-potency sweeteners (thaumatin being the only exception) in one analytical run. The minimalistic sample preparation procedure consisted of only two operations; dilution and centrifugation. Linearity, limits of detection and quantitation, repeatability, and trueness of the method were evaluated. The obtained recoveries at three tested concentration levels varied from 97.0 to 105.7%, with relative standard deviations lower than 4.1%. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of sweeteners in 24 samples of different soft and alcoholic drinks.

Bienzymatic biosensor for rapid detection of aspartame by flow injection analysis

A rapid, simple and stable biosensor for aspartame detection was developed. Alcohol oxidase (AOX), carboxyl esterase (CaE) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were immobilised with glutaraldehyde (GA) onto screen-printed electrodes modified with cobalt-phthalocyanine (CoPC). The biosensor response was fast. The sample throughput using a flow injection analysis (FIA) system was 40 h⁻¹ with an RSD of 2.7%. The detection limits for both batch and FIA measurements were 0.1 µM for methanol and 0.2 µM for aspartame, respectively. The enzymatic biosensor was successfully applied for aspartame determination in different sample matrices/commercial products (liquid and solid samples) without any pre-treatment step prior to measurement.

[Simultaneous determination of 14 restricted substances in flavor and fragrant by ultra high performance liquid chromatography]

An ultra high performance liquid chromatographic method was established for the separation and determination of 14 restricted substances in flavor and fragrant samples. The sample was extracted by 10% (v/v) methanol aqueous solution containing 1% (v/v) ammonia. The 14 analytes were separated in 12 min on a Waters BEH C18 column (50 mm x 2.1 mm, 1.7 microm) using acetonitrile and 10 mmol/L ammonium acetate aqueous solution (containing 0.1% (v/v) acetic acid) as mobile phases with gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min and 35 degrees C, and detected by a diode array detector scanned from 200 nm to 500 nm. The regression equations revealed acceptable linearity (correlation coefficients ranged from 0.995 0 to 0.999 9) in the range of 0.10 - 50 mg/L for the 14 analytes. The limits of detection (LODs) were from 0.32 mg/kg to 2.51 mg/kg. The recoveries of the 14 analytes spiked in real samples at 5, 10 and 20 mg/L were 93.0% - 121% with the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.51% - 4.50%. With the advantages of accessibility, high sensitivity and good reproducibility, this simple method can be used in the simultaneous determination of the restricted substances in flavor and fragrant samples.

Absolute quantification for benzoic acid in processed foods using quantitative proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

The absolute quantification method of benzoic acid (BA) in processed foods using solvent extraction and quantitative proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was developed and validated. BA levels were determined using proton signals (δ(H) 7.53 and 7.98) referenced to 2-dimethyl-2-silapentane-5-sulfonate-d(6) sodium salt (DSS-d(6)) after simple solvent extraction from processed foods. All recoveries from several kinds of processed foods, spiked at their specified maximum Japanese usage levels (0.6-2.5 g kg(-1)) and at 0.13 g kg(-1) and 0.063 g kg(-1), were greater than 80%. The limit of quantification was confirmed as 0.063 g kg(-1) in processed foods, which was sufficiently low for the purposes of monitoring BA. The accuracy of the proposed method is equivalent to the conventional method using steam-distillation extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography. The proposed method was both rapid and simple. Moreover, it provided International System of Units traceability without the need for authentic analyte standards. Therefore, the proposed method is a useful and practical tool for determining BA levels in processed foods.

Estimation of total alkaloid in Chitrakadivati by UV-Spectrophotometer

BACKGROUND

Herbal formulation standardization by adopting newer technique is need of the hour in the field of Ayurvedic pharmaceutical industry. As very few reports exist. These kind of studies would certainly widen the herbal research area. Chitrakadivati is one such popular herbal formulation used in Ayurveda. Many of its ingredients are known for presence of alkaloids.

METHODOLOGY

Presence of alkaloid was tested qualitatively by Dragondroff's method then subjected to quantitative estimation by UV-Spectrophotometer. This method is based on the reaction between alkaloid and bromocresol green (BCG).

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Study discloses that out of 16 ingredients, 9 contain alkaloid. Chitrakadivati has shown 0.16% of concentration of alkaloid and which is significantly higher than it's individual ingredients.

Simultaneous determination of some food additives in soft drinks and other liquid foods by flow injection on-line dialysis coupled to high performance liquid chromatography

Flow injection on-line dialysis was developed for sample pretreatment prior to the simultaneous determination of some food additives by high performance liquid chromatography (FID-HPLC). A liquid sample or mixed standard solution (900 μL) was injected into a donor stream (5%, w/v, sucrose) of FID system and was pushed further through a dialysis cell, while an acceptor solution (0.025 mol L(-1) phosphate buffer, pH 3.75) was held in the opposite side of the dialysis membrane. The dialysate was then flowed to an injection loop of the HPLC valve, where it was further injected into the HPLC system and analyzed under isocratic reverse-phase HPLC conditions and UV detection (230 nm). The order of elution of five food additives was acesulfame-K, saccharin, caffeine, benzoic acid and sorbic acid, respectively, with the analysis time of 14 min. On-line dialysis and HPLC analysis could be performed in parallel, providing sample throughput of 4.3h(-1). Dialysis efficiencies of five food additives were in ranges of 5-11%. Linear calibration graphs were in ranges of 10-100 mg L(-1) for acesulfame-K and saccharin, 10-250 mg L(-1) for benzoic acid and 10-500 mg L(-1) for caffeine and sorbic acid. Good precisions (RSD<5%) for all the additives were obtained. The proposed system was applied to soft drink and other liquid food samples. Acceptable percentage recoveries could be obtained by appropriate dilution of the sample before injecting into the system. The developed system has advantages of high degrees of automation for sample pretreatment, i.e., on-line sample separation and dilution and low consumption of chemicals and materials.

Colorimetric detection and identification of natural and artificial sweeteners

A disposable, low-cost colorimetric sensor array has been created by pin-printing onto a hydrophilic membrane 16 chemically responsive nanoporous pigments that are comprised of indicators immobilized in an organically modified silane (ormosil). The array has been used to detect and identify 14 different natural and artificial sweeteners at millimolar concentrations, as well as commonly used individual-serving sweetener packets. The array has shown excellent reproducibility and long shelf life and has been optimized to work in the biological pH regime.

Simultaneous determination of nonnutritive sweeteners in foods by HPLC/ESI-MS

Nonnutritive sweeteners are the low calorie substances used to replace sugar and other caloric ones. Determination of these sweeteners in foods is important to ensure consistency in product quality. In this study, seven artificial (aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, neotame, sucralose, cyclamate, and alitame) and one natural sweetener (stevioside) were simultaneously determined in different foods using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection (ESI-MS). The target compounds were quantified using a selective ionization recording (SIR) at m/z 178, 397, 377, 293, 641, 312, 162, and 182 to cyclamate, sucralose, neotame, aspartame, stevioside, alitame, acesulfame-K, and saccharin, respectively, with warfarin sodium (SIR m/z 307) being used as an internal standard. The correlation coefficient of the calibration curve was better than 0.998 (n = 6), in the range of 0.05 to 5.00 microg/mL for cyclamate, 0.30 to 30.0 microg/mL for sucralose, 0.10 to 10.0 microg/mL for neotame, 0.20 to 20.0 microg/mL for aspartame, 0.50 to 15.0 microg/mL for stevioside, 0.08 to 8.00 microg/mL for alitame, 0.10 to 15.0 microg/mL for acesulfame-K, and 0.05 to 5.00 microg/mL for saccharin. The limits of detection (LODs) were below 0.10 microg/mL, whereas the limits of quantification (LOQs) were below 0.30 microg/mL. It is concluded that the method has merits such as high sensitivity, specificity, and simplicity versus the those of the other methods reported in the literature.

Quantitative capillary electrophoresis and its application in analysis of alkaloids in tea, coffee, coca cola, and theophylline tablets

A quantitative CE (qCE) system with high precision has been developed, in which a 4-port nano-valve was isolated from the electric field and served as sample injector. The accurate amount of sample was introduced into the CE system with high reproducibility. Based on this system, consecutive injections and separations were performed without voltage interruption. Reproducibilities in terms of RSD lower than 0.8% for retention time and 1.7% for peak area were achieved. The effectiveness of the system was demonstrated by the quantitative analysis of caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline in real samples, such as tea leaf, roasted coffee, coca cola, and theophylline tablets.