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Analytical Method Validation and Rapid Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Cocoa Butter Using HPLC-FLD

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Abstract

A simple, fast and ecological analytical method using a semi-automatic fat extractor and HPLC-FLD (fluorescence detection) for determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon markers i.e. benzo(a)anthracene (BaA), chrysene (Chr), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and benzo(b)fluoranthene (BbF) in cocoa butter has been validated. Validation’s procedure performed out in concordance with French standard NF V03-110 (2010) was based on existing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) determination methods in various smoked foodstuffs and edible vegetable oils. Determination of correlation coefficients for specific PAHs ranged from 0.9992 to 0.9998. Respective values of limits of detection were 0.010, 0.011, 0.033 and 0.029 μg kg−1 and those of quantification were 0.035, 0.038, 0.111 and 0.098 μg kg−1 for BaA, Chr, BbF and BaP. Both values of repeatability and intermediary precision tests coefficients of variation were less than 5%. Recovery scores of four PAH markers matched EU standard 836/2011 recommendations. Sum of four PAH markers (BaA, Chr, BbF, BaP) contents varied from 5.42 ± 0.58 to 11.37 ± 0.01 μg kg−1 whereas those of BaP was comprised between 0.26 ± 0.00 and 1.75 ± 0.13 μg kg−1 in 20 cocoa butter samples extracted from raw cocoa bean stored at Ivorian cocoa farmer levels.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Food Safety Team of UMR Qualisud of Cirad, Montpellier, France, and by the Research Group on Post-Harvest Technology and Quality of Cocoa of Food Sciences and Technology Department (UFR-STA) of University Nangui ABROGOUA, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Funding

This research was funded by a grant for Ivorian PhD students No. 2014/BE_033D/C2D_AMRUGE-CI awarded by AMRUGE/C2D COTE D’IVOIRE.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Technology (UFR-STA), Université Nangui Abrogoua, 02 BP 801, Abidjan, 02, Côte d’Ivoire

    Didier-Axel Sess-Tchotch, Kra Brou Didier Kedjebo, Betty Meuwiah Faulet & Tagro Simplice Guehi

  2. CIRAD, UMR Qualisud, 34398, Montpellier, France

    Angelique Fontana-Tachon, Pascaline Alter, Noël Durand, Joël Grabulos & Didier Montet

  3. Qualisud, University Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier Sup Agro, Université d’Avignon, Université de La Réunion, Montpellier, France

    Angelique Fontana-Tachon, Pascaline Alter, Noël Durand, Joël Grabulos & Didier Montet

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  1. Didier-Axel Sess-Tchotch
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  2. Kra Brou Didier Kedjebo
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  3. Betty Meuwiah Faulet
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  9. Tagro Simplice Guehi
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Correspondence to Tagro Simplice Guehi.

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Conflict of Interest

Didier-Axel Sees-Tchotch has received research grants from AMRUGE/C2D COTE D’IVOIRE. Didier-Axel Sess-Tchotch declares that he has no conflict of interest. Kra Brou Didier Kedjebo declares that he has no conflict of interest. Betty Meuwiah Faulet declares that she has no conflict of interest. Angelique Fontana-Tachon declares that she has no conflict of interest. Pascaline Alter declares that she has no conflict of interest. Noël Durand declares that he has no conflict of interest. Joël Grabulos declares that he has no conflict of interest. Didier Montet declares that he has no conflict of interest. Tagro Simplice Guehi declares that he has no conflict of interest.

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Sess-Tchotch, DA., Kedjebo, K.B.D., Faulet, B.M. et al. Analytical Method Validation and Rapid Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Cocoa Butter Using HPLC-FLD. Food Anal. Methods 11, 3138–3146 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-018-1282-2

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