MALDI-TOF MS quantification of coccidiostats in poultry feeds

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a relatively new technique that is having a great impact on analyses. This study is the first to demonstrate the use of linear MALDI-TOF MS to identify and quantify coccidiostats in poultry feeds. 2,5-Dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) was found to be the best matrix. In MALDI-TOF MS, coccidiostats form predominantly [M + Na](+) ions, with additional small amounts of [M + K](+) and [M - H + 2Na](+) ions, and no obvious fragment ions. Salinomycin and narasin were unstable in the concentrated DHB matrix solution but were stable when dried on the MALDI-TOF MS probe. A simple fast Sep-pak C18 cartridge purification procedure was developed for the MALDI-TOF MS quantification of coccidiostats in poultry feeds. The MALDI-TOF MS limit of detection for lasalocid, monensin, salinomycin, and narasin standards was 251, 22, 24, and 24 fmol, respectively. The method detection limit for salinomycin and narasin in poultry feeds was 2.4 microgram/g.     

Analysis of theaflavins and thearubigins from black tea extract by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

Black tea contains two major groups of pigments, theaflavins (TFs) and thearubigins (TRs). TFs contain a bis-flavan substituted 1,2-dihydroxy-3,4-benzotropolone moiety. Unlike the TFs, TRs have not yet been characterized. The chemical structure of the TRs remains a mystery. The present paper reports our effort to study the structure of TFs and TRs using delayed pulsed ion extraction of ions generated via the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) technique, on line with a Linear time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer. Spectra of standard TFs show not only pseudomolecular ions but also ions resulting from fragmentation. The analysis of MALDI-TOF spectra of black tea fractions shows the structure of some TRs, which are similar to those of TFs because the same loss of mass is observed.     

Analysis of intact glucosinolates by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

Glucosinolates are naturally occurring plant compounds that may be important in the dietary prevention of cancer. This study shows that they can be detected in their intact form by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) with a high degree of sensitivity. The methodology was used to characterize a number of individual glucosinolates either produced by synthetic chemistry or isolated from plants. The method was used for crude plant extracts to rapidly examine the glucosinolate profile of the plant. The results for a range of plant extracts showed good agreement with previous LC-MS analysis of the desulfoglucosinolates from the same samples.     

Identification and quantification of flavonol glycosides in almond seedcoats using MALDI-TOF MS

Interest in the molecular composition of almonds is growing, due to their popularity in a wide variety of food formulations. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a powerful new technique that can be used to rapidly identify and quantify possible bioactive compounds in these popular tree nuts. Four flavonol glycosides were identified in almond seedcoats for the first time: isorhamnetin rutinoside, isorhamnetin glucoside, kaempferol rutinoside, and kaempferol glucoside. A MALDI-TOF MS methodology was developed using rutin (quercetin-3-rutinoside) as an internal standard to quantitatively determine each of the four flavonol glycosides. Results of MALDI-TOF MS analysis were verified by high performance liquid chromatography.     

颗粒饲料淀粉糊化度的快速检测方法

淀粉糊化度是评价颗粒饲料加工质量的重要指标,直接影响畜禽吸收利用饲料中能量物质的效率,进而影响饲料的转化效率和畜禽生长状态。该文建立了颗粒饲料淀粉糊化度的两种快速检测方法,其中近红外光谱分析方法（NIRS）检测淀粉糊化度的定标和验证模型的决定系数（R2）分别为0.8759和0.9608;而快速黏度分析法（RVA）预测淀粉糊化度的定标和验证模型的决定系数分别为0.8025和0.8746。试验结果表明近红外光谱分析技术和快速黏度分析法均可快速且较准确地预测颗粒饲料的淀粉糊化度,在一定程度上能较好地满足实时监测饲料加工过程淀粉糊化程度、实现颗粒饲料精细加工的需要。     

Characterization of the aroma of a meatlike process flavoring from soybean-based enzyme-hydrolyzed vegetable protein

Defatted soybean meal was converted into enzyme-hydrolyzed vegetable protein (E-HVP) using the proteolytic enzyme Flavorzyme. Total free amino acids increased by 40-fold after enzyme hydrolysis, with leucine being the most abundant, followed by phenylalanine, lysine, glutamine/glutamic acid, and alanine. Volatile components from a meatlike process flavoring made from E-HVP were isolated by direct solvent extraction (DSE)-high vacuum transfer (HVT), dynamic headspace sampling and static headspace sampling and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry and GC-olfactometry. Aroma extract dilution analysis was used to establish a flavor dilution chromatogram of the DSE-HVT extract. Results of these complementary techniques indicated the importance of odorants of high (hydrogen sulfide and methanethiol), intermediate (2-methyl-3-furanthiol, 3-mercapto-2-pentanone, 2-furanmethanethiol, and 3-(methylthiol)propanal) and low volatility (maltol and Furaneol) in the overall aroma of the meatlike process flavoring.     

Aroma extract dilution analysis of a beeflike process flavor from extruded enzyme-hydrolyzed soybean protein

Aroma-active compounds from a beeflike process flavor, produced by extrusion of enzyme-hydrolyzed vegetable protein (E-HVP), were analyzed using aroma extract dilution analysis. The number of aroma-active compounds and the aroma intensity were increased by the addition of aroma precursors prior to extrusion. The most intense compound was 2-methyl-3-furanthiol having a cooked rice/vitamin-like/meaty aroma note. Several sulfur-containing furans, such as 2-methyl-3-(methylthio)furan, 2-methyl-3-(methyldithio)furan, and bis(2-methylfuryl)disulfide, were detected with high flavor dilution (FD) factors. Some pyrazines, such as 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2,6-diethylpyrazine, and 3,5-diethyl-2-methylpyrazine, also had high FD factors. It is hypothesized that sulfur-containing amino acids and thiamin were important precursors in aroma formation in process flavor from E-HVP.     

MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry: avoidance of artifacts and analysis of caffeine-precipitated SII thearubigins from 15 commercial black teas

Thearubigins are the quantitatively major phenolic compounds in black tea, accounting for some 60-70% of the solids in a typical black tea infusion. MALDI-TOF mass spectra for caffeine-precipitated SII thearubigins (SII CTRs) from 15 different commercial teas support previous conclusions that SII CTRs are polyhydroxylated oligomers (rather than polymers) of catechins and catechin gallates in redox equilibrium with their quinone counterparts. Some 4500 peaks were revealed in a mass range from m/z 500 to 2100. Polyphenols are redox-susceptible and readily generate artifacts during MALDI-TOF analysis when the matrix is also redox-susceptible. Of the nine matrices evaluated, 3',4',5'-trihydroxyacetophenone (F) provided the best compromise between signal intensity and redox artifact formation.     

Relative quantification of N(epsilon)-(Carboxymethyl)lysine,imidazolone A,and the Amadori product in glycated lysozyme by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

The nonenzymatic glycation of proteins by reducing sugars, also known as the Maillard reaction, has received increasing recognition from nutritional science and medical research. In this study, we applied matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) to perform relative and simultaneous quantification of the Amadori product, which is an early glycation product, and of N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine and imidazolone A, two important advanced glycation end products. Therefore, native lysozyme was incubated with d-glucose for increasing periods of time (1, 4, 8, and 16 weeks) in phosphate-buffered saline pH 7.8 at 50 degrees C. After enzymatic digestion with endoproteinase Glu-C, the N-terminal peptide fragment (m/z 838; amino acid sequence KVFGRCE) and the C-terminal peptide fragment (m/z 1202; amino acid sequence VQAWIRGCRL) were used for relative quantification of the three Maillard products. Amadori product, N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine, and imidazolone A were the main glycation products formed under these conditions. Their formation was dependent on glucose concentration and reaction time. The kinetics were similar to those obtained by competitive ELISA, an established method for quantification of N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine and imidazolone A. Inhibition experiments showed that coincubation with N(alpha)-acetylargine suppressed formation of imidazolone A but not of the Amadori product or N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine. The presence of N(alpha)-acetyllysine resulted in the inhibition of lysine modifications but in higher concentrations of imidazolone A. o-Phenylenediamine decreased the yield of the Amadori product and completely inhibited the formation of N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine and imidazolone A. MALDI-TOF-MS proved to be a new analytical tool for the simultaneous, relative quantification of specific products of the Maillard reaction. For the first time, kinetic data of defined products on specific sites of glycated protein could be measured. This characterizes MALDI-TOF-MS as a valuable method for monitoring the Maillard reaction in the course of food processing.     

Electrospray ionization Fourier transform mass spectrometric analysis of wine.

Positive- and negative-ion electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry has been used for direct analysis of five wines (California Red, Corbiere, Zinfandel, Beaujolais, and Sauvignon Blanc), without any prior separation or purification steps. The high mass resolving power (typically m/Delta m(50%) > or = 80,000, in which Delta m(50%) is mass spectral peak full width at half-maximum peak height) and mass accuracy (< or =1 ppm) of FT-ICR mass spectrometry make it ideal for the study of complex mixtures such as wine, because the components are simultaneously resolved and identified as to elemental composition. Moreover, the high dynamic range of the instrument is advantageous for identifying trace components. The positive-ion mass spectra obtained from the wines were somewhat similar and were dominated by sucrose and (for red wines) anthocyanins. More than 30 compounds (phenolics and carbohydrates) were identified. The negative-ion mass spectra exhibited much greater variation among different wines, with several compounds peculiar to each wine. Elemental compositions could be assigned with high confidence to 76-94% of negative ions of >10% relative abundance. The present results suggest that it may be possible to fingerprint a wine on the basis of its negative-ion ESI FT-ICR mass spectrum.     

Comparison between HPLC and MALDI-TOF MS analysis of anthocyanins in highbush blueberries

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been widely used as a reliable technique to quantify anthocyanins in food samples. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a new technique that is having a great impact on food analysis. This study is the first to compare HPLC and MALDI-TOF MS quantifications of anthocyanins. The analyses were carried out for highbush blueberries at different stages of anthocyanin formation. In general, both techniques provided comparable quantitative anthocyanin profiles for the samples. HPLC could distinguish anthocyanin isomers, whereas MALDI-TOF MS proved to be more rapid in the accurate identification and quantification of anthocyanins with different masses. A single MALDI-TOF MS run took just 4 min. MALDI-TOF MS analysis can serve as a rapid alternative to HPLC for the analysis of anthocyanins in fruits.     

A high-throughput assay for quantification of starch hydrolase inhibition based on turbidity measurement

A high-throughput method for rapid determination of starch hydrolase inhibition was developed using a 96-well microplate UV-vis reader to monitor the turbidity decrease over time. The area under the curve of turbidity measured over time was used to quantify the inhibitory effect of polyphenolic compounds on porcine pancreatic amylase, rat intestine α-glucosidase, and fungal amyloglucosidase. Acarbose equivalence (AE) was introduced for the first time and defined as IC50 of acarbose divided by the IC50 of the sample measured under the same 96-well plate. This way, the run-to-run variations are canceled out. Among the plant extracts tested, grape seed extracts (1,440 μmolAE/g) and cinnamon bark extracts (1600 μmolAE/g) are the most active in inhibiting rat intestine α-glucosidase. For porcine α-amylase inhibition, grape seed extracts (5710 μmol AE/g) are close to four times more active (equal weight basis) than acarbose (1550 μmolAE/g).     

Comparison of the HPLC method and FT-NIR analysis for quantification of glucose, fructose, and sucrose in intact apple fruits

A rapid quantification method was developed and validated for simultaneous and nondestructive quantifying the constituent sugar concentrations of intact apples using Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy in diffuse reflectance mode. Multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), the second derivative of Savitsky-Golay, and mean centering were used as spectral preprocessing options. Calibration models were established by the partial least squares (PLS) regression analysis, and validation of the method was performed according to the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) chromatographic method. Spectral range and the number of PLS factors were optimized for the lowest root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP) and correlation coefficient of determination (r). The best models showed satisfactory predictions as measured by the RMSEP and r values: glucose, 0.201 and 0.950; fructose, 0.298 and 0.968; sucrose, 0.335 and 0.969, respectively. FT-NIR analysis of constituent sugar concentrations in the intact apple form was found to be more flexible and much faster than performed with the HPLC method.     

Construction of a recombinant thermostable beta-amylase-trehalose synthase bifunctional enzyme for facilitating the conversion of starch to trehalose

A fusion gene that encoded a polypeptide of 1495 amino acids was constructed from the beta-amylase (BA) gene of Clostridium thermosulfurogenes and trehalose synthase (TS) gene of Thermus thermophilus. The fused gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and a recombinant bifunctional fusion protein with BA at the N-terminal (BATS) or C-terminal (TSBA) of TS having both beta-amylase and trehalose synthase activities with an apparent molecular mass of 164 kDa was obtained. BATS or TSBA catalyzes the sequential reaction in which maltose is formed from starch and then is converted into trehalose. The Km values of the BATS and TSBA fusion enzymes for the reaction from starch to trehalose were smaller than those of an equimolar mixture of BA and TS (BA/TS). On the other hand, the kcat value of BATS approximated that of the BA/TS mixture, but that of TSBA exceeded it. TSBA showed much higher sequential catalytic efficiency than the separately expressed BA/TS mixture. The catalytic efficiency of TSBA or BATS was 3.4 or 2.4 times higher, respectively, than that of a mixture of individual enzymes, showing the kinetic advantage of the fusion enzyme. The thermal stability readings of the recombinant fusion enzymes BATS and TSBA were better than that of the mixture of individual recombinant enzymes. These results apparently demonstrate that fusion enzymes catalyzing sequential reactions have kinetic advantages over a mixture of both enzymes.     

Gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric confirmation of identity of coprostanol in Mercenaria mercenaria (Bivalvia) taken from sewage-polluted water

Coprostanol is a major fecal sterol in humans and may, therefore, be a good indicator of sewage-polluted waters. Some types of edible seafood, such as clams, that live in these waters may be contaminated with coprostanol. Coprostanol from clam tissue extracts had been previously quantitated by gas chromatography (GC). In the present work, capillary column GC was used to separate coprostanol, and electron ionization mass spectrometry was used to confirm its identity. Confirmation of identity of coprostanol at the 75 ng level was obtained by comparing the spectrum of the authentic standard with spectra of the clam tissue extract obtained under the same instrumental conditions. Various other compounds can be eliminated as potential interferences by virtue of either their different GC retention times or their spectra.     

Gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric determination of daminozide in high protein food products

A gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) method for determining daminozide in high protein products has been developed. Daminozide is hydrolyzed in the presence of a strong base to form unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) which is then distilled from the food matrix. A stable derivative is formed by reacting UDMH with salicyladehyde to form salicyaldehyde dimethylhydrazone. This derivative is separated and quantitated by GC/MS using selected ion monitoring (SIM) of key ions in the fragmentation pattern: m/z 164 (molecular ion of hydrazone) and m/z 120 (C7H6ON). An internal standard, 4-nitroanisole, is monitored at m/z 153 (molecular ion) and m/z 123 (C6H5O2N). The limit of detection is 0.01 ppm daminozide in a 50 g sample; however, because of variation at low levels, the limit of quantitation is 0.1 ppm. Recoveries are 90% or greater from peanuts and peanut butter spiked at the 0.1-2 ppm level. Reproducibility of the method depends on the food matrix and is 26% RSD in the worst case. Data are compared for the GC/MS method and the official EPA colorimetric procedure. Results showed a high bias in the colorimetric method, especially when roasted peanut products were analyzed.     

Granule structure and distribution of allomorphs in C-type high-amylose rice starch granule modified by antisense RNA inhibition of starch branching enzyme

C-type starch, which is a combination of both A-type and B-type crystal starch, is usually found in legumes and rhizomes. We have developed a high-amylose transgenic line of rice (TRS) by antisense RNA inhibition of starch branching enzymes. The starch in the endosperm of this TRS was identified as typical C-type crystalline starch, but its fine granular structure and allomorph distribution remained unclear. In this study, we conducted morphological and spectroscopic studies on this TRS starch during acid hydrolysis to determine the distribution of A- and B-type allomorphs. The morphology of starch granules after various durations of acid hydrolysis was compared by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that amorphous regions were located at the center part of TRS starch subgranules. During acid hydrolysis, starch was degraded from the interior of the subgranule to the outer surface, while the peripheral part of the subgranules and the surrounding band of the starch granule were highly resistant to acid hydrolysis. The spectroscopic changes detected by X-ray powder diffraction, 13C cross-polarization magic-angle spinning NMR, and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared showed that the A-type allomorph was hydrolyzed more rapidly than the B-type, and that the X-ray diffraction profile gradually changed from a native C-type to a CB-type with increasing hydrolysis time. Our results showed that, in TRS starch, the A-type allomorph was located around the amorphous region, and was surrounded by the B-type allomorph located in the peripheral region of the subgranules and the surrounding band of the starch granule. Thus, the positions of A- and B-type allomorphs in the TRS C-type starch granule differ markedly from those in C-type legume and rhizome starch.     

Capillary column gas chromatographic determination of dicamba in water, including mass spectrometric confirmation

A sensitive method is described for determining dicamba at low micrograms/L levels in ground waters by capillary column gas chromatography with electron-capture detection (GC-EC); compound identity is confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) using selected ion monitoring. Dicamba residue is hydrolyzed in KOH to form the potassium salt. The sample is then extracted with ethyl ether which is discarded. The aqueous phase is acidified to pH less than 1 and extracted twice with ethyl ether. The combined ethyl ether extracts are concentrated, and the residue is methylated using diazomethane to form the corresponding dicamba ester. The derivatized sample is cleaned up on a deactivated silica gel column. The methylated dicamba is separated on an SE-30 capillary column and quantitated by electron-capture or mass spectrometric detection. Average recoveries (X +/- SD) for ground water samples fortified with 0.40 microgram/L of dicamba are 86 +/- 5% by GC-EC and 97 +/- 7% by GC-MS detections. The EDL (estimated detection limit) for this method is 0.1 microgram dicamba/L water (ppb).     

Identification and quantification of inhibitors for Angiotensin-converting enzyme in hypoallergenic infant milk formulas

The potential of hypoallergenic (HA) infant milk formulas containing hydrolyzed milk proteins as main constituents to inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in vitro was investigated. Seven commercially available HA products designed for babies up to 4 months showed a potent inhibition of ACE in vitro, with IC 50 values ranging between 3.2 and 68.5 mg of nitrogen/L. For six samples of conventional milk-based infant formulas and three breast milk samples, no inhibition was observed. Inhibitory potential did not correlate with the degree of hydrolysis. Using reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) coupled to electrospray ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF-MS), 15 peptides known to inhibit ACE were identified. Among them, the highly potent ACE inhibitor Ile-Trp (IC 50 = 0.7 microM) was detected and quantified for the first time in the HA samples, representing the most effective ACE-inhibiting peptide that has ever been detected in food items. The overall inhibitory potential of the HA infant milk formulas could partly be explained by Ile-Trp.     

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric ion-switching determination of chlorantraniliprole and flubendiamide in fruits and vegetables

The anthranilic and phthalic diamides, chlorantraniliprole (CAP) and flubendiamide (FLU), respectively, represent a new class of very effective insecticides that activate the ryanodine-sensitive intracellular calcium release channel (ryanodine receptor). This paper reports an analytical method for the simultaneous determination of the two insecticides on fruits and vegetables by liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry operated in the positive and negative ionization switching mode. The two diamides were extracted with acetonitrile and separated on a Zorbax Column Eclipse XDB C8 (4.6 mm x 150 mm i.d., 3 microm) by isocratic elution with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and water with 0.1% formic acid pumped at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. The diamides were selectively detected by multiple reaction monitoring for transitions of proton adduct precursor ions simultaneously: positive m/z 484.3-->285 for CAP, m/z 445.5-->169 for internal standard, and negative m/z 681.4-->253 for FLU. For CAP calibration in the positive mode was linear over a working range of 2 to 1000 microg/L with r > 0.992. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for CAP were 0.8 and 1.6 microg/kg, respectively. For FLU in the negative mode the corresponding values were 1-1000 microg/L for linear working range, with r > 0.996 and 0.4 and 0.8 microg/L for LOD and LOQ, respectively. Moreover, the presence of interfering compounds in the fruit and vegetable extracts was found to be minimal. Due to the linear behavior of the MS detector response for the two analytes, it was concluded that the multiple reaction transitions of molecular ions in the ion-switching mode can be used for analytical purposes, that is, for identification and quantification of diamides in fruit and vegetable extracts at trace levels.