Pickering Labs - Analysis of Mycotoxins in Hemp and Hemp-Containing Edible Products

Aroma analysis is of paramount importance in the plant-based meat replacement industry. The ability to replicate flavors and mimic real meat is vital in appealing to consumers. To capture the full aroma profiles of cooked meat, analysts need dynamic purge techniques, such as dynamic headspace (DHS) sampling. The considerable water content in meat and other food brings risk of moisture build-up in the sorbent tube, potentially disrupting the TD-GC-MS analysis. An automated DHS option with dry purge feature, can effectively address this issue, as illustrated here using cooked ground beef and plant-based meat as examples. A workflow for optimizing DHS settings relevant to this study is presented. The aroma profiles of cooked ground beef and plant-based meat are analyzed and compared.

This work presents an Automated Sample Preparation procedure for MOSH/MOAH analysis of Seasoning Oils. We compare results from a manual epoxidation procedure compliant with DIN 16995 with results based on fully automated sample preparation (epoxidation and saponification) compliant with ISO 20122. In both cases, online clean-up via activated aluminum oxide (AlOx) are used to remove interfering n-alkanes from the MOSH fraction during the HPLC run. Automated data evaluation using a dedicated software (GERSTEL ChroMOH) is presented.

A methodology is presented for the determination of flavor compounds in dietary supplements using Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE). Quantitation is accomplished by automating the spiking of Tenax-TA® filled sorbent tubes. A retention time index (RTI) standard is also introduced. The GERSTEL Internal Standard/Dry Purge Plus (ISDP+) module automates spiking of standards, internal standards, or a retention index mix and is used to dry purge sorbent tubes to remove excess water or solvent, that may adversely affect the trapping and transfer of analytes to the GC column.

In this work, a robotic sampler is used to automate the complete extraction, introduction, and LC-MS/MS analysis workflow for determination of neonicotinoid compounds in honey samples.

With increasing concern over genotoxic nitrosamine contaminants, regulatory bodies like the FDA and EMA have introduced strict guidelines following several high-profile drug recalls. This poster showcases a case study where LGC and Waters developed a UPLC/MS/MS method for quantifying trace levels of N-nitroso-sertraline in sertraline using Waters mass spectrometry and LGC reference standards.