Critical assessment of three high performance liquid chromatography analytical methods for food carotenoid quantification

Three sets of extraction/saponification/HPLC conditions for food carotenoid quantification were technically and economically compared. Samples were analysed for carotenoids α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, lycopene, and zeaxanthin. All methods demonstrated good performance in the analysis of a composite food standard reference material for the analytes they are applicable to. Methods using two serial connected C₁₈ columns and a mobile phase based on acetonitrile, achieved a better carotenoid separation than the method using a mobile phase based on methanol and one C₁₈-column. Carotenoids from leafy green vegetable matrices appeared to be better extracted with a mixture of methanol and tetrahydrofuran than with tetrahydrofuran alone. Costs of carotenoid determination in foods were lower for the method with mobile phase based on methanol. However for some food matrices and in the case of E–Z isomer separations, this was not technically satisfactory. Food extraction with methanol and tetrahydrofuran with direct evaporation of these solvents, and saponification (when needed) using pyrogallol as antioxidant, combined with a HPLC system using a slight gradient mobile phase based on acetonitrile and a stationary phase composed by two serial connected C₁₈ columns was the most technically and economically favourable method.     

Multivariate analysis of nutritional information of foodstuff of plant origin for the selection of representative matrices for the analysis of pesticide residues

Testing safety of foodstuffs of plant origin involves the analysis of hundreds of pesticide residues. This control is only cost-effective through the use of methods validated for the analysis of many thousands of analyte/matrix combinations. Several documents propose representative matrices of groups of matrices from which the validity of the analytical method can be extrapolated to the represented matrices after summarised experimental check of within group method performance homogeneity. Those groups are based on an evolved expert consensus based on the empirical knowledge on the current analytical procedures; they are not exhaustive, they are not objectively defined and they propose a large list of representative matrices which makes their application difficult. This work proposes grouping 240 matrices, based on the nutritional composition pattern equivalence of the analytical portion right after hydration and before solvent extraction, aiming at defining groups that observe method performance homogeneity. This grouping was based on the combined outcome of three multivariate tools, namely: Principal Component Analysis, Hierarchical Cluster Analysis and K-Mean Cluster Analysis. These tools allowed the selection of eight groups for which representative matrices with average characteristics and objective criteria to test inclusion of new matrices were established. The proposed matrices groups are homogeneous to nutritional data not considered in their definition but correlated with the studied multivariate nutritional pattern. The developed grouping that must be checked with experimental test before use was tested against small deviations in food composition and for the integration of new matrices.     

Solvent effects on solution enthalpies of adamantyl derivatives

Solution enthalpies of 1-bromoadamantane, 1-adamantanol, and 2-adamantanone in a large set of protic and aprotic solvents are reported at 298.15 K. Solvent effects on the solution processes of these solutes are analyzed in terms of a modified TAKA equation, involving δ_cav h ^s as the cavity term. The nature and magnitude of the major interactions which influence these processes are assessed and discussed in terms of the solutes’ characteristics. New insights on the solution processes under scrutiny are presented.     

Indigenous silver jewellery of Northern Patagonia (19th century): a first analytical approach to composite objects

A set of Mapuche–Tehuelche composite silver jewellery items, produced in the 19th century and collected in a same indigenous camp in 1896, belonging to the La Vaulx's collection held at the Musée du Quai Branly (Paris), was observed by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscope and X‐radiography, and analysed by PIXE with a 3‐MeV external proton micro‐beam. We aimed to check if these jewels used daily by women evolved during their owners' lifetime, through the analysis of the alloys employed in their making and the silversmith's technologies. Results showed that the jewels were manufactured by different silversmiths, yet using the same workshop traditions. Silver‐based alloys of different compositions were identified. The presence of high Zn and Ni contents in many parts of certain items denotes the use of nickel silver alloys not by direct use of coins and native metals as expected but by remelting and reuse of coins and objects. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of breath by proton transfer reaction time of flight mass spectrometry in rats with steatohepatitis induced by high-fat diet

Breath testing has been largely used as a diagnostic tool, but the difficulties in data interpretation and sample collection have limited its application. We developed a fast (< 20?s), on-line, non-invasive method for the collection and analysis of exhaled breath in awake rats based on proton transfer reaction time of flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) and applied it to investigate possible relationships between pathologies induced by dietary regime and breath composition. As a case study, we investigated rats with dietary induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and modifications induced by coffee addition to the diet. We considered two different diets (standard and high fat) complemented with two different drinking possibilities (water or decaffeinated coffee) for a total of four groups with four rats each. Several spectrometric peaks were reliable markers for both dietary fat content and coffee supplementation. The high resolution and accuracy of PTR-ToF-MS allowed the identification of related compounds such as methanol, dimethyl sulphide, dimethyl sulphone and ammonia. In conclusion, the rapid and minimally invasive breath analysis of awake rats permitted the identification of markers related to diet and specific pathologic conditions and provided a useful tool for broader metabolic investigations. Copyright ? 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identification of glucosinolates in capers by LC-ESI-hybrid linear ion trap with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-LTQ-FTICR MS) and infrared multiphoton dissociation

An liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method using electrospray ionization in negative ion mode coupled with a hybrid quadrupole linear ion trap and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometer was applied to characterize of intact glucosinolates (GLSs) in crude sample extracts of wild bud flowers of Capparis spinosa (Capparis species, family Capparaceae). Structural information of GLSs was obtained upon precursor ions' isolation within the FTICR trapping cell and subsequent fragmentation induced by infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD). Such a fragmentation was found very useful in terms of chemical identification of all precursor ions [M-H](-) including sulfur-rich GLSs reported here for the first time. Along with most common GLSs already found in capers such as glucocapparin, isopropyl/n-propyl-GLS, mercapto-glucocapparin, and two indolic GLS, i.e., 4-hydroxyglucobrassicin and glucobrassicin, the occurrence of the uncommon glycinyl-glucocapparin as well as two sulfur-rich GLSs is reported. IRMPD showed an increased selectivity towards disulfide bond cleavages with thiol migration, suggesting the side chain structure of non-targeted compounds, i.e., disulfanyl-glucocapparin and trisulfanyl-glucocapparin. Glucocapparin [2.05?±?0.25?mg/g, dry weight (dw)] was the most abundant GLS, followed by glucobrassicin (232?±?18?μg/g, dw) and 4-hydroxyglucobrassicin (89?±?12?μg/g, dw). All other compounds were present at very low content ranging from 0.5 to 1.5?μg/g dw. Copyright ? 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Use of DRAQ5 to Monitor Intracellular DNA in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> by Flow Cytometry

Flow cytometry provides a rapid and high-content multiparameter analysis of individual microorganisms within a population. In the past years, several fluorescent stains were developed in order to monitor DNA content distribution and cell-cycle phases, mainly in eukaryotic cells. Recently, due to its low detection limits, several of these fluorescent stains were also applied to prokaryotic cells. In this study, the ability of a novel far-red fluorescent stain DRAQ5 in assessing intracellular DNA content distribution in Escherichia coli DH5α was evaluated. The results showed that a DRAQ5-labelled live E. coli suspension can be obtained by incubation of 1 × 10⁶ cells/mL with 5 μM DRAQ5 in PBS buffer supplemented with EDTA (pH = 7.4) during 30 min at 37 °C. Flow cytometric analysis of fixed E. coli cells revealed that ethanol should be used in detriment of glutaraldehyde for DRAQ5 labelling. After the analysis of RNase and DNase digested samples, DRAQ5 was proven to be a specific DNA labelling stain. The present study demonstrates that the use of DRAQ5 as a DNA-labelling stain provides an easy assessment of intracellular DNA content and cell-cycle phases in Gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli.     

Reassessment of pH reference values with improved methodology for the evaluation of ionic strength

The conflict between pH as empirical number in routine control and the pH value regarded as conveying some information concerning the effective concentration or activity of hydrogen ions, a_H, has caused much confusion.There are, however, reasons to conclude that the overwhelming amount of thermodynamic data is not sufficiently accurate—either due to ignorance of metrological concepts or due to insufficiently specified measurement processes of fundamental chemical quantities pH.The commonly used seven reference buffer solutions to which primary pH values have been conventional assigned, represent a selection out of a more extensive list, recommended by NBS (now NIST) in 1962. From then onwards conventions concerning the Debye-Hückel model of electrolyte solutions and ionic strength have been revised and the pH(S) values reassessed in conformity but only for these seven reference buffer solutions. The others have, so far remained unchanged, locking harmonisation of the conventionally assigned pH(S) values.In this work, ionic strength is calculated through complete equations derived from the acidity constants. Concentrations of the various species involved in the conventional assignment of pH and their corresponding activity coefficients are therefore, more rigorously known. The process proves particularly useful for poliprotic acids with overlapping acidity constants, where the ratio is less than 10³.As a consequence, conventionally assigned pH values of reference buffer solutions are recalculated and corrections are introduced as appropriate.     

Solution enthalpies of 1-bromoadamantane in monoalcohols at 298.15 K

Solution enthalpies of 1-bromoadamantane in 14 monoalcohols were measured at 298.15 K. Comparison with the solution enthalpies of 2-bromo-2-methylpropane was performed. The obtained data were discussed in terms of the effect of solute's size and solvent's structure.