Enhancing Spice Safety: Automated Cleanup Workflow for Pesticide Residue Analysis

Spices like paprika, curry, turmeric, dry chili, and black pepper are cherished ingredients in cuisines worldwide. However, concerns arise when these spices, originating from diverse geographic regions, are potentially contaminated with pesticides used during cultivation, jeopardizing both their quality and consumer health.

To address this challenge, a study conducted at the European Union Reference Laboratory for Pesticide Residues in Fruits & Vegetables, located at the Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3) at the University of Almeria in Spain, has developed an innovative automated micro-solid-phase extraction (µSPE) clean-up workflow for multi-residue pesticide analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) (1). This method has been published in the journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry.

The complexity of spice matrices and the vast spectrum of pesticides that may be present necessitate specialized sample extraction and clean-up methods to eliminate matrix interference and ion suppression. In this study, extracts from various spice matrices, including paprika, curry, turmeric, dry chili, and black pepper, underwent automated µSPE clean-up. This automated process employed pre-filled cartridges containing diverse sorbent materials optimized for the removal of co-extractives. An autosampler performed the efficient clean-up, resulting in a streamlined and time-saving procedure.

Pesticide residue limits in spices vary by type, with a stringent maximum residue limit (MRL) of 0.05 mg/kg or higher applicable to 99% of the target analytes. Remarkably, the study achieved excellent recoveries between 70% and 120%, with relative standard deviation (RSD) values below 20% for over 98% of the compounds at spiking concentrations of 0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg. Furthermore, the automated clean-up process, which takes five minutes per sample, demonstrated a significant advantage, increasing daily sample throughput by 20% compared to manual clean-up methods (1).

This automated µSPE clean-up workflow represents an advancement in ensuring the safety and quality of spices consumed globally. By effectively mitigating the risks associated with pesticide residues in these beloved culinary ingredients, this research contributes to safeguarding public health and reinforcing food safety standards in the spice industry.

This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence and has been edited to ensure accuracy and clarity. You can read more about our policy for using AI here.

Reference

(1) Rodríguez Fernández-Alba, A. et al. Pesticide Residue Analysis in Different Spice Samples by Automatic µSPE Clean-up Workflow Determination Using LC-MS/MS. Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 2023, pp 1-10. DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-04933-y.