Furocoumarins or psoralens represent a class of photosensitizers whose use level is likely to be restricted to 1 ppm in cosmetic products by the EU. A reversed-phase HPLC method was developed to separate the 15 main furocoumarins present in citrus oils. Quantification by UV, fluorescence, or mass detectors was compared in terms of linearity and limit of detection. Cold-pressed oils of different citrus species were analyzed using this method. This method could be implemented in quality control laboratories equipped with an HPLC system and a UV diode array detector. Because of possible coelutions, the UV-spectral data should be carefully examined to avoid misleading interpretations of peaks.

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A broth of dried scallop adductor muscles was prepared. Tasters appreciated the typical seafood, sweet, slightly umami taste of scallop, which is difficult to reproduce with common ingredients. Therefore, the broth was fractionated and, guided by multiple tastings, we isolated a sweet, umami, delicious fraction. This fraction contained glycine, alanine, and (R)-strombine ((R)-2-(carboxymethylamino)propanoic acid). (R) and (S)-strombine were prepared, and a sensory analysis with 47 judges demonstrated that the taste thresholds were 0.5 g/L for (R)-strombine and 0.7 g/L for (S)-strombine. The sensory attributes were described as salty and umami.

The presence of two unusual, recently identified terpene acids, i.e., 4-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)cyclohexa-1,3-diene-1-carboxylic acid (1) and 4-(1-methylethenyl)cyclohexa-1,3-diene-1-carboxylic acid (2), was now also confirmed in (Swiss) linden honey, after solid-phase extraction and HPLC purification. NMR Spectroscopy, in combination with UPLC/MS analysis, showed the presence of several glycosides of 1, which accounted for ca. 0.6 weight-% of the honey, as quantified by UPLC-UV. The major 'glycoside' of 1, compound 5, could be isolated and identified by 2D-NMR experiments as the corresponding beta-gentiobiosyl ester (rather than the classical compound with a glycosidic bond between an aglycone OH group and the sugar). The same diglycosides found in linden honey were also detected in linden nectar; also, chestnut and fir honeys contained these glycosides in minor quantities, but not colza, acacia, or dandelion honeys (Table 2).

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