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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #127040
Title: SCREENING FOR SENSORY QUALITY IN FOODS USING SOLID PHASE MICRO-EXTRACTION TANDEM MASS SPECTROMETRY

Author
item Grimm, Casey
item Lloyd, Steven
item GODSHALL, MARY - SUGAR PROCESSING RES INST
item BRAGGINS, TERRY - AG RES LTD, NEW ZEALAND

Submitted to: American Chemical Society Symposium Series
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2001
Publication Date: 2/1/2004
Citation: Grimm, C.C., Lloyd, S.W., Godshall, M.A., Braggins, T.J. 2004. Screening for sensory quality in foods using solid phase micro-extraction tandem mass spectrometry. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 11:167-174

Interpretive Summary: An alternative technique for detecting trace levels of odor causing compounds in foods is presented. Conventional trace level analysis involves the initial separation of the individual compounds employing a technique known as gas chromatography, followed by detection using mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In this report, separation and detection are accomplished by two stages of mass spectrometry, a technique known as tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) The screening of odor-causing compounds present at concentrations at the parts per billion level was accomplished in water, rice and sugar. This research will benefit quality control researchers and ultimately the consumer by providing a more consistent, safer product.

Technical Abstract: An ion trap mass spectrometer was connected to an injection port with a 25 cm length of capillary column. Using the ion trap in MS/MS mode, a technique was developed to screen for the presence of trace level compounds in food and water using solid phase micro-extraction (SPME). Twelve rice samples were screened for the presence of two flavor indicators, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline and indole, and the results compared to the SPME/GC/MS data for the same rice samples. Indole and 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline can be detected at the ppb level. In water, trace levels of 2-methylisoborneol can be detected at ppb level. Sample collection time was typically ten minutes/sample and analysis time was as short as one minute.