Profiling Methods for the Determination of Phenolic Compounds in Foods and Dietary Supplements

Authors: Harnly, James - Jim; Bhagwat, Seema; Lin, Longze

Submitted to: Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2007
Publication Date: 7/7/2007
Citation: Harnly, J.M., Bhagwat, S.A., Lin, L. 2007. Profiling methods for the determination of phenolic compounds in foods and dietary supplements. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. Available: doi:10.1007/s00216-007-1424-7.

Interpretive Summary: With the latest advances in technology, scientists are now looking to understand biological systems as a whole. One aspect of this holistic approach is metabolomics, the characterization of all the small molecules in a tissue or organism. In the field of nutrition, the small molecules in plants constitute the nutrients and other bio-active compounds that affect human health. Analytical chemists have been striving for some time to develop comprehensive methods that will provide as much information as possible in a single analytical procedure. Profiling methods represent the current state-of-the-art, employing in a single extraction the determination of as many as 50-100 compounds using liquid chromatography for separation with diode array and mass spectrometric detection. This paper describes the evolution and current state-of-the-art for metabolomics-type methods for the determination of phenolic compounds in foods and dietary supplements.

Technical Abstract: Profiling methods are needed to separate and detect all the phenolic compounds in a single extract of a food material. These methods must be comprehensive, rapid, and rich in spectral information. Fourteen methods have been selected from the recent literature that meet, or have the potential to meet, these criteria. In general, the methods employ a single aqueous methanol extraction, separation on a reversed-phase C18 column, and detection by UV/Vis and mass spectrometry. The variations in extraction, separation, and detection are discussed. An increasingly important aspect of these methods is the archiving of data to permit cross-comparison of samples and standards and retrospective analysis. This review shows that the necessary technology is available to achieve the desired analytical goals.