Validation of analytical method for furan determination in eight food matrices and its levels in various foods

Abstract

In this study, an automated solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the determination of furan in eight matrices including ham, milk, apple juice, rice porridge, peanut butter, flatfish, tuna (canned) and seaweed. The calibration curves were highly linear (r² > 0.990) and the limit of detection and limit of quantification ranged from 0.01-0.02 and 0.04-0.06 ng/g, respectively. The recovery ranged from 77.81-111.47%. The validated method was used to analyse the furan levels in 120 foods. The highest levels of furan were detected in black tea (172.05 ng/g) and red ginseng extract (89.27 ng/g). Whelk (canned) contained a high furan content (21.34 ng/g) among the seafood samples.

Keywords: furan; gas chromatography; mass spectrometry; solid-phase microextraction.