Fast chromatographic method for the determination of dyes in beverages by using high performance liquid...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Chromatography
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Synthetic dyes are common food additives, requiring reliable analytical methods for quality control.
• Existing methods for dye analysis can be time-consuming and solvent-intensive.
• Accurate quantification of dyes like amaranth (E123), sunset yellow FCF (E110), and tartrazine (E102) is crucial for consumer safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid chromatographic method for analyzing three synthetic dyes in non-alcoholic beverages.
• To compare the performance of MCR-ALS and U-PLS/RBL algorithms for analyzing complex chromatographic data with time shifts.
• To assess the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact of the proposed method.

Main Methods:

• A fast liquid chromatography (LC) separation coupled with diode-array detection (DAD) was employed.
• Second-order data analysis was performed using multivariate algorithms: MCR-ALS (Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternating Least Squares) and U-PLS/RBL.
• Seven soft drink samples were analyzed after homogenization and filtration.

Main Results:

• The MCR-ALS algorithm effectively modeled the chromatographic data despite inherent time shifts, outperforming U-PLS/RBL.
• Recovery values for synthetic dyes ranged from 97% to 105%, indicating high accuracy in both artificial and real samples.
• The proposed fast method reduced solvent consumption by over 90% and analysis time by 14.2% compared to complete separation methods.

Conclusions:

• MCR-ALS is a robust tool for analyzing synthetic dyes in beverages, even with challenging chromatographic data.
• The developed fast LC method significantly reduces costs and environmental impact while maintaining analytical accuracy.
• This approach provides an efficient and sustainable solution for synthetic dye analysis in the food industry.