GC/TOF MS application: Food

analysis
Trace component analysis of
food stuffs using GC/TOF MS
(BenchTOF-dx) and TargetView
Both product safety and quality, typically relating to flavour composition, taints and
contamination, are of concern in the food industry, with many regulations in place to
control these. As such, manufacturers are keen to quickly and simply identify compounds
of interest.
TargetView software has been specifically designed to speed up and improve the
identification of target compounds by comparing defined library spectra with sample
spectra. As an example of its application here, samples of potato chips have been
analyzed to identify selective pyrazine (flavour) compounds.
Analysis of pyrazines (flavour compounds) in crisps
For this application the flavour compounds (pyrazines) in potato chips (crisps) were
studied. In order to extract the flavour compounds of the potato chips a Markes
International Micro-Chamber/Thermal Extractor (-CTE) was used with the flavour
compounds collected onto thermal desorption tubes.
The thermal desorption tubes were subsequently analysed in a Markes International
UNITY 2 thermal desorption unit coupled with an Agilent Technologies GC and
ALMSCO BenchTOF-dx time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF MS).
Extraction/Sampling Thermal desorption GC conditions:
BenchTOF-dx
conditions:
conditions:
Micro Oven 60 C
Desorption
Mass range:
chamber temp:
for 2 min,
40C
temperature:
then 20
45 - 400 amu
Flow rate: 40
300C for 5
C/min to
Transfer line:
min.
240 C, hold
mL/min
250C
Trap low for 2 min
MS source:
Total run time
0C, Trap
Emissions
200C
high 320C, 5
14.5 min
Data rate: 2
collected for
min.
Column: HP10 min onto
Hz (5000
Trap: General
INNOWax
Tenax TA
spectral
Polyethylene
sorbent tubes
summations

(25 min
equilibration
time and 10
min sampling
time)

purpose trap

Glyco
30 m x 250
m x 0.25
m

Split: Single
split 20:1

Constant flow
mode

per data
point)

Source
voltage: 1.70
V

Results from potato chip analysis

The fast data acquisition of BenchTOF-dx produces comprehensive spectral

information with high sensitivity. Its software also applies dynamic background
compensation to eliminate noise ions, resulting in cleaner data which facilitates
compound identification.

TargetView analysis of the data was run against a library of selective pyrazines, in
which a number of pyrazines (2,3 dimethyl pyrazine, 2-ethyl, 5-methyl pyrazine
and 2,6 diethyl pyrazine) were shown present in the sample
TargetView analysis of the data was run against a library of selective pyrazines, in
which a number of pyrazines (2,3 dimethyl pyrazine, 2-ethyl, 5-methyl pyrazine
and 2,6 diethyl pyrazine) were shown present in the sample

Above: Pyrazine target compound identification from potato chips (crisps). Trace level
detection of 2,5-dimethyl pyrazine highlighted

Expanded view (top) showing three (3) very small red bars indicating trace-level detection
of 2,5 dimethyl pyrazine, 2-ethyl, 5-methyl pyrazine and 2,6 diethyl pyrazine. This is also
confirmed with a cross reference against the NIST database
Conclusions
The technique used here has effortlessly generated a list of target pyrazines found in
potato chips. The clear spectral data produced by BenchTOF-dx is ideal for target
compound identification by TargetView.