Elsevier

Analytica Chimica Acta

Volume 1234, 22 November 2022, 340098
Analytica Chimica Acta

Review on chromatographic and specific detection methodologies for unravelling the complexity of MOAH in foods

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2022.340098Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • There is a need for detailed characterization of mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons in foods.

  • Advances in chromatographic separations and detection methods are discussed.

  • GC × GC-MS with LC pre-fractionation is the most promising approach for maximizing separation.

Abstract

Contamination of foods with mineral oil hydrocarbons, particularly mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH), can potentially pose a health hazard to consumers. However, identifying toxic substances among the many thousands of compounds comprising mineral oils in food samples is a difficult analytical challenge. According to the European Food Safety Authority, there is a lack of concentration and structural data about mineral oil hydrocarbons in foods, and therefore it is not clear to what extent consumers in Europe might be exposed to toxic levels of MOAH. The current gold standard method for determination of mineral oil hydrocarbons is online high-performance liquid chromatography (LC)-gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization detection, which quantifies total saturated/aromatic content, but gives no qualitative information. The objective of this review is to explore the future prospects in mineral oil hydrocarbon determination and MOAH characterization in foods. To that end, peer reviewed literature was explored, particularly from the viewpoint of a methodology for detailed characterization of the MOAH fraction that can aid toxicological assessment. The literature clearly shows that there is much to be gained from the orthogonality power of multidimensional chromatographic separations and mass spectrometric (MS) detection. Comprehensive two-dimensional GC coupled to MS, preceded by pre-fractionations of MOAH by LC is suggested to be the most promising approach for further research. In addition, the strengths and weaknesses of a number of other, alternative approaches, both for qualitative and quantitative analysis, are discussed.

Keywords

Mineral oil hydrocarbons
Multidimensional separations
Mass spectrometry
Food analysis

Abbreviations

MOAH
mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons
MOSH
mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons
PAH
polyaromatic hydrocarbons

Cited by (0)

Alexandra Polyakova obtained her master degree with distinction cum laude in analytical chemistry at the University of Amsterdam and Vrije University Amsterdam in 2021. During her studies, she took part in the TI-COAST MSc + talent honors program, intended for excellent and enthusiastic students following an analytical-sciences MSc programme at a Dutch University, which included intensive courses in for example multidimensional separations, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and optical spectroscopy. Now she is pursuing a PhD in biophysics at the University of Basel, Biozentrum.

PhD student, Biophysics, Hiller group, Univeristy of Basel, Biozentrum

Spitalstrasse 41, 4056 Basel, Switzerlandemail

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr Stefan van Leeuwen is senior scientist at Wageningen Food Safety Research. He's an analytical chemist and has an interest in the development of chromatography-mass spectrometry based methods for trace analysis of environmental and industrial pollutants. He has a particular interest in unravelling the complexity of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in food using targeted and untargeted techniques, as well as mass balance approaches. His current interest is in the analytical identification of emerging food safety issues rising from circular food production. He has (co-)authored over 60 scientific peer-reviewed publications and has an H-index of 28.

WFSR – Wageningen Food Safety Research

Phone: +31 (0) 317 481984

Mobile: +31 623 918 150

Visiting address: Akkermaalsbos 2, 6708 WB, Wageningen, Netherlands

E-mail: [email protected]

Ruud Peters works for Wageningen Food Safety Research, Wageningen University & Research. He has over 30 years of experience in analytical chemistry with a focus on chromatography and mass spectrometry. Currently he is team leader Organic Contaminants and deals with organic contaminants like dioxins, PAH, flame retardants, perfluorinated compounds and process contaminants. The last 10 years detection and characterisation of nanoparticles in food and environment have been a special research item of his. More recently he also became interested in microplastics in food. He has (co-)authored over 80 scientific peer-reviewed publications and has an H-index of 38.

Team leader Organic Contaminants

WFSR - Wageningen University & Research Business Unit Contaminants & Toxins P.O. Box 230, 6700 AE, Wageningen, The Netherlands

Akkermaalsbos 2, 6708 WB, Wageningen, The Netherlands

Phone: +31 (0)317 48 06 71

E-mail [email protected]

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University of Basel, Biozentrum, Spitalstrasse 41, 4056 Basel, Switzerland. E-mail: [email protected]