Determination of the authenticity of plastron-derived functional foods based on amino acid profiles analysed by MEKC

Lin-Qiu Li; Joewel T Baibado; Qing Shen; Hon-Yeung Cheung

doi:10.1016/j.jchromb.2017.10.036

Determination of the authenticity of plastron-derived functional foods based on amino acid profiles analysed by MEKC

J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2017 Dec 1:1070:23-30. doi: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2017.10.036. Epub 2017 Oct 16.

Authors

Lin-Qiu Li¹, Joewel T Baibado², Qing Shen³, Hon-Yeung Cheung⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong, China; Research Group for Bioactive Products, Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
² Research Group for Bioactive Products, Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
³ Research Group for Bioactive Products, Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
⁴ Research Group for Bioactive Products, Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. Electronic address: cheung.honyeung@cityu.edu.hk.

PMID: 29107730
DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2017.10.036

Abstract

Plastron is a nutritive and superior functional food. Due to its limited supply yet enormous demands, some functional foods supposed to contain plastron may be forged with other substitutes. This paper reports a novel and simple method for determination of the authenticity of plastron-derived functional foods based on comparison of the amino acid (AA) profiles of plastron and its possible substitutes. By applying micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC), 18 common AAs along with another 2 special AAs - hydroxyproline (Hyp) and hydroxylysine (Hyl) were detected in all plastron samples. Since chicken, egg, fish, milk, pork, nail and hair lacked of Hyp and Hyl, plastron could be easily distinguished. For those containing collagen, a statistical analysis technique - principal component analysis (PCA) was adopted and plastron was successfully distinguished. When applied the proposed method to authenticate turtle shell glue in the market, fake products were commonly found.

Keywords: Amino acid profile; MEKC; PCA; Plastron; Plastron-derived functional foods.

MeSH terms

Amino Acids / analysis*
Animals
Chickens
Chromatography, Micellar Electrokinetic Capillary / methods*
Functional Food / analysis*
Functional Food / classification
Hair / chemistry
Humans
Limit of Detection
Linear Models
Meat / analysis
Milk / chemistry
Nails / chemistry
Ovum / chemistry
Reproducibility of Results
Swine
Tissue Extracts / analysis*
Tissue Extracts / chemistry*

Substances

Amino Acids
Tissue Extracts
plastrum testudinis