Abstract
Energy drinks have been studied due to their damaging side effects on the health of their consumers when consumed in excess or when combined with alcohol. Our objective was to develop chemometric models, based on Fourier-transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy, to quantify the taurine and caffeine content in energy drinks rapidly and simultaneously. The taurine and caffeine content in the 50 samples ranged between 0 and 69.51 mg/100 mL and 14.92 and 1126.17 mg/100 mL, respectively. The best prediction model was obtained with the partial least squares (PLS1) algorithm; for taurine, the following values were obtained: determination coefficient of calibration (Rc2) = 0.9999, standard error of calibration (SEC) = 0.15, determination coefficient of validation (Rv2) = 0.9997, and standard error of prediction (SEP) = 0.16; for caffeine, Rc2 = 0.9999, SEC = 0.26, Rv2 = 0.9999, and SEP = 0.32. The model developed with PLS1 showed certainty in predictions during the validation stage and during application to external samples. FT-MIR coupled to chemometrics is a reliable and fast technique (compared to conventional techniques) to quantify taurine and caffeine in energy drinks simultaneously.
Highlights
Energy drinks usually contain carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and taurine and caffeine in higher amounts. ere is no official international legislation that establishes the maximum allowed limit (MAL) for taurine in these drinks, there is a recommendation of 40 mg of acceptable daily intake (ADI) [1, 2]. e Mexican regulation [3] indicates that the MAL for caffeine in energy drinks must be of 20 mg/100 mL; likewise, the same norm indicates that the ADI for caffeine cannot exceed 165 mg
The labels of the product do not provide detailed information on the ingredients or do not Journal of Spectroscopy indicate the amount at which the main ingredients are contained. erefore, the need arises to count upon analysis methods that will allow verifying and controlling the taurine and caffeine concentrations in energy drinks
ANOVA analysis revealed a significant difference among samples (p ≤ 0.05). e taurine content reported in the label of the product is very similar to that found in this work
Summary
Energy drinks usually contain carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and taurine and caffeine in higher amounts. ere is no official international legislation that establishes the maximum allowed limit (MAL) for taurine in these drinks, there is a recommendation of 40 mg of acceptable daily intake (ADI) [1, 2]. e Mexican regulation [3] indicates that the MAL for caffeine in energy drinks must be of 20 mg/100 mL; likewise, the same norm indicates that the ADI for caffeine cannot exceed 165 mg.Excessive or inadequate consumption (for example, combined with alcohol) of energy drinks has become a public health concern. Energy drinks usually contain carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and taurine and caffeine in higher amounts. With the increase in their consumption, the ADI of the main ingredients (taurine and caffeine) found in the energy drinks could exceed and increase the noxious side effects in consumers, such as increase in blood pressure, hypoglycemia, dizziness, diarrhea, peptic ulcer, arrhythmias, dehydration, and cerebral and nervous system damage [4]. The labels of the product do not provide detailed information on the ingredients or do not Journal of Spectroscopy indicate the amount at which the main ingredients (taurine and caffeine) are contained. Erefore, the need arises to count upon analysis methods that will allow verifying and controlling the taurine and caffeine concentrations in energy drinks. Many analytical methods have been developed to quantify taurine and caffeine contents in energy drinks. Different techniques have been used: HPLC [10], gas chromatography (GC), thin layer chromatography, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and NMR [5]
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