Rapid separation and characterisation of triacylglycerols in ostrich oil by ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Abstract

The triacylglycerol (TAG) composition of ostrich oil (Struthio camelus) was determined by non-aqueous reversed-phase ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Using a column with 150 mm in length, the TAGs were separated efficiently with acetonitrile/2-propanol gradient at flow rate of 0.2 mL/min for 20 min. Detection is performed by positive APCI mass spectrometry, accurate mass measurements (<3 ppm) and definite elemental composition for molecular ions and fragment ions were obtained to enable characterisation of 24 TAGs in both ostrich oil and emu oil. In terms of TAGs composition and contents, the ostrich oils are similar to emu oils. This result indicates that the ostrich oil could be a good choice of substitution for emu oil, which is expensive and comparatively rare, in food, dietetics and cosmetics industry.

Keywords: APCI-MS; Emu oils; Ostrich oils; Triacylglycerol (TAGs); UPLC.