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Rapid Method for Small Grain and Corn Flour Authentication Using GC/EI–MS and Multivariate Analysis

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Abstract

The aim of this study was the application of the gas chromatography–mass spectrometry system (GC/EI–MS) system and multivariate data analysis to investigate the possibility of chemical differentiation between small grain flour (wheat, barley, oat, triticale, rye) and corn flour samples. All cereal flour samples were first defatted with hexane, after which the extraction with ethanol was performed. Extracted simple sugars (monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and sugar alcohols) were analyzed in the form of their corresponding trimethylsilyl oximes. Peaks of simple sugar derivatives were selected in total ion current (TIC) chromatograms by monitoring exclusively the following characteristic abundant ions: 204, 217, and 361 m/z. The total surface areas under the selected peaks were subjected to multivariate analysis. Applying principal coordinate analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis to obtained data, samples of corn flour could be very clearly distinguished from all samples of small grain flour, which presented a weaker separation among each other. This method circumvents common analytical procedures by excluding simple sugar identifications, quantitative analysis, the use of analytical standards, and calibration curves. Results are applicable in the quality assurance of mixed flour on the market, considering the increased popularity of their consumption in human nutrition.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Project TR 31066) and Provincial Secretariat for Science and Technological Development of Vojvodina (Project No. 114-451-1361/2014-03).

Conflict of Interest

Kristian Pastor declares that he has no conflict of interest. Marijana Ačanski declares that she has no conflict of interest. Djura Vujić declares that he has no conflict of interest. Goran Bekavac declares that he has no conflict of interest. Snežana Milovac declares that she has no conflict of interest. Snežana Kravić declares that she has no conflict of interest. This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied and Engineering Chemistry, Faculty of Technology, University of Novi Sad, Car Lazar Boulevard 1, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia

    Kristian Pastor, Marijana Ačanski & Snežana Kravić

  2. Institute of Food Technology, University of Novi Sad, Car Lazar Boulevard 1, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia

    Djura Vujić

  3. Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Maksima Gorkog Street 30, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia

    Goran Bekavac

  4. Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Dositej Obradović Square 3, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia

    Snežana Milovac

Authors
  1. Kristian Pastor
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  2. Marijana Ačanski
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  3. Djura Vujić
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  4. Goran Bekavac
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  5. Snežana Milovac
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  6. Snežana Kravić
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kristian Pastor.

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Highlights

• Synthesis of simple sugar oximes and derivatization procedure using the reagent BSTFA

• Application of a GC–MS system and multivariate data analysis (PCO and neighbor joining clustering method)

• Identification of peaks of simple sugar derivatives using the selected ion monitoring method

• Distinguishing small grain flour extracts from corn flour extracts

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Pastor, K., Ačanski, M., Vujić, D. et al. Rapid Method for Small Grain and Corn Flour Authentication Using GC/EI–MS and Multivariate Analysis. Food Anal. Methods 9, 443–450 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-015-0215-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-015-0215-6

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