A Rapid HPLC Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Organic Acids and Furans: Food Applications

Abstract

Concerns over the potential adulteration of commercially produced foods give rise to a requirement for a simple and fast analytical method capable of quantifying potential adulterants. This work demonstrates a simple HPLC method tailored to detect major organic acids and furans within ingredients in commercial food products, for example, pomegranate molasses, balsamic vinegar, and apple cider vinegar. The relative importance of this method is in its simplicity and its use of an environmentally friendly aqueous mobile phase under isocratic conditions, providing results in a less than 20 min runtime. The chromatographic separation was achieved using an Acclaim® OA, 5 µm, 120 Å (4.0 × 250 mm) column; a UV-DAD detector set at 210 nm; and a 200 mM Na2SO4 mobile phase with 0.55 mL/L methanosulfonic acid as a pH modifier. The method was then validated by quantifying the concentration of acetic acid, formic acid, citric acid, and hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) in pomegranate molasses, balsamic vinegar, and apple cider vinegar commercial products. The concentration of acetic acid and HMF in balsamic vinegar was 80.380 mg/mL (±1.272 mg/mL) and 2.153 mg/mL (±0.021 mg/mL), respectively. The apple cider vinegar was composed only of acetic acid with a concentration of 44.139 mg/mL (±0.053 mg/mL). The concentrations of citric acid and HMF were 123.425 mg/mL (±2.502 mg/mL) and 11.382 mg/mL (±0.582 mg/mL), respectively, in pomegranate molasses. Furthermore, this method is also capable of determining various organic acids and furans in biomass: levulinic acid, formic acid, furfurals, diformylfuran, and gamma-valerolactone.

Ultrasensitive detection of pectin based on the decarboxylation reaction and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

“…54,55 It can be seen that both the standard solution of furfural and the derivative solution of D-Gal-A have peaks at about 3.343 min, and their retention time is basically the same as that reported in the past. 53,55,56 Therefore, the results of the three detection methods show that furfural compounds will be formed when D-Gal-A decarboxylation reaction occurs.…”

Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, Antimicrobial, and Anticancer Activities of Pomegranate Juice Concentrate

“…PJC is commonly used as a flavoring agent, sweetener agent, sauce, and salad dressing. It is also used in dairy products, meat products, and many dishes to improve aroma and taste characteristics [2,5,6,[10][11][12][13].…”

“…Pomegranate juice concentrate (PJC) is prepared from pomegranate fruit juice, which belongs to the Punicaceae family, Punica genus, and Punica granatum L. species [ 1 , 2 ]. Pomegranates are considered an ancient fruit, which can be grown widely in semi-arid land, arid land, and poor soil, with good yields.…”

“…PJC is commonly used as a flavoring agent, sweetener agent, sauce, and salad dressing. It is also used in dairy products, meat products, and many dishes to improve aroma and taste characteristics [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. Pomegranates have been extensively used as a source of folk medicine for a long time.…”

“…Pomegranates have been extensively used as a source of folk medicine for a long time. Recently, researchers have shown that pomegranates have many potential beneficial health effects, including anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheal, anti-microbial, and neuroprotective activities [ 2 , 3 , 12 , 14 ].…”