Fish and food safety: Determination of formaldehyde in 12 fish species by SPME extraction and GC–MS analysis

Abstract

The formaldehyde (FA) content in different fish products was evaluated using a solid phase microextraction (SPME)-GC–MS method based on fiber derivatisation with pentafluorobenzyl-hydroxyl-amine hydrochloride. LOD and LOQ values of 17 and 28 μg kg −1, respectively were calculated. Fish quality was assessed by the analysis of 12 species (sea-fish, freshwater-fish and crustaceans), revealing variable FA levels. Fresh, deep frozen, canned, boiled and roasted fish were analysed; cooking always produced a decrease in the analyte content. Fish belonging to the Gadidae family were the samples with the highest FA concentration (from 6.4 ± 1.2 mg kg −1 to 293 ± 26 mg kg −1), in four cases out of 14 exceeding the value of 60 mg kg −1 proposed by the Italian Ministry of Health. Storage on ice was also investigated, showing moderate FA production also at temperature around 0 °C. FA contents lower than 22 mg kg −1 were finally found in all the other samples.