A useful strategy based on chromatographic data combined with quality-by-design approach for food analysis applications. The case study of furanic derivatives in sugarcane honey

Pedro Silva; Catarina L Silva; Rosa Perestrelo; Fernando M Nunes; José S Câmara

doi:10.1016/j.chroma.2017.09.019

A useful strategy based on chromatographic data combined with quality-by-design approach for food analysis applications. The case study of furanic derivatives in sugarcane honey

J Chromatogr A. 2017 Oct 20:1520:117-126. doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2017.09.019. Epub 2017 Sep 8.

Authors

Pedro Silva¹, Catarina L Silva¹, Rosa Perestrelo¹, Fernando M Nunes², José S Câmara³

Affiliations

¹ CQM - Centro de Química da Madeira, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal.
² CQ-VR, Centro de Química - Vila Real, Departamento de Química, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001- 801 Vila Real, Portugal.
³ CQM - Centro de Química da Madeira, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal; Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências Exactas e Engenharia, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal. Electronic address: jsc@uma.pt.

PMID: 28916394
DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2017.09.019

Abstract

Sugarcane honey (SCH) is one of the Madeira Island products par excellence and it is now popular worldwide. Its sui generis and peculiar sensory properties, explained by a variety of volatile compounds including furanic derivatives (FDs), arise mainly from manufacturing and storage conditions. A simple high-throughput approach based on semi-automatic microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) combined with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) was developed and validated for identification and quantification of target FDs in sugarcane honey. A Quality-by-Design (QbD) approach was used as a powerful strategy to optimize analytical conditions for high throughput analysis of FDs in complex sugar-rich food matrices. The optimum point into MEPS-Method Operable Design: Region (MODR) was obtained with R-CX sorbent, acetonitrile (ACN) as elution solvent, three loading cycles and 500μL of sample volume. The optimum point into UHPLC-MODR was obtained with a CORTECS column operating at a temperature of 50°C, ACN as eluent and a flow rate of 125μLmin^-1. The robustness was demonstrated by Monte Carlo simulation and capability analysis for estimation of residual errors. The concentration-response relationship for all FDs were described by polynomial function models, being confirmed by Fisher variance (F-test). The% recoveries were in a range of 91.9-112.1%. Good method precision was observed, yielding relative standard deviations (RSDs) less than 4.9% for repeatability and 8.8% for intermediate precision. The limits of quantitation for the analytes ranged from 30.6 to 737.7μgkg^-1. The MEPS_R-CX/UHPLC_CORTECS-PDA method revealed an effective and potential analytical tool for SCH authenticity control based on target analysis of FDs allowing a strict control and differentiation from other similar or adulterated products.

Keywords: Furanic derivatives; MEPS; Quality-by-design; Sugarcane honey; UHPLC-PDA.

MeSH terms

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid*
Food Analysis / instrumentation
Food Analysis / methods*
Honey / analysis*
Honey / standards*
Limit of Detection
Portugal
Saccharum
Solid Phase Microextraction