[Determination of fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids in food additives using high-performance liquid...

Wide diversity of fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids, their ability for isomerization and oxidation under action of a range of physical and chemical factors stimulates the development of modern selective methods for determination of individual compound contents of these substantial micronutrients. It is important to determine separately the geometric cis- and trans-isomers, which exhibit different vitamin and antioxidant activity. Use of high performance liquid chromatography in combination with various methods of sample pre-treatment for this purpose makes possible to determine simultaneously in automatic run the fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D, K and carotenoids as well as their isomers with high sensitivity and selectivity. The adequate estimation of vitamin value of foods and food additives is thus achieved.