Determination of three furfural compounds in coffee and coffee products by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with internal standard isotope

Abstract

To establish a method for the determination of three furfural compounds in coffee and its products by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The samples were extracted with ethanol water(1∶2, V∶V) solution, ultrasonic with 10% Na_2CO_3 solution for 5 min, purified with 100 mg C_(18), 50 mg Srong Cation exchang(SCX), 150 mg anhydrous MgSO_4, separated by HP-INNOWAX capillary column(30 m×0.25 mm, 0.25 μm), detected by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and quantified by isotope internal standard method. The correlation coefficients(r) of the three furfural compounds were all greater than 0.999, the limits of detection were 0.004-0.011 mg/kg, and the limits of quantitation were 0.013-0.031 mg/kg. The average recoveries were 86.0%-112% and the relative standard deviations were 4.1%-10.6%(n=6), at 3 supplemental levels in 3 different coffee substrates. Nine samples of coffee beans, instant coffee and coffee drinks were tested, and all three components to be tested were detected. The method is simple, rapid, sensitive, with good accuracy and precision. It is suitable for the determination of three furfural compounds in coffee and its products.