HPLC-UV method validation for the identification and quantification of bioactive amines in commercial eggs

A quantitative and confirmatory high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) method for the determination of bioactive amines in the albumen and yolk of commercial eggs was developed, optimized and validated by analyte extraction with trichloroacetic acid and pre-column derivatization with dansyl chloride. Phenylethylamine, putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, tyramine, spermidine and spermine standards were used to evaluate the following performance parameters: limit of detection (LoD), limit of quantification (LoQ), selectivity, linearity, precision, recovery and ruggedness. The LoD of the method was defined from 0.2 to 0.3 mg kg(-1) for the yolk matrix and from 0.2 to 0.4 mg kg(-1) for the albumen matrix; the LoQ was from 0.7 to 1.0 mg kg(-1) for the yolk matrix and from 0.7 to 1.1 mg kg(-1) for the albumen matrix. The validated method exhibited excellent selectivity and separation of all amines with coefficients of determination higher than 0.99. The obtained recovery values were from 90.5% to 108.3%, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was lower than 10% under repeatability conditions for the studied analytes. The performance parameters show the validated method to be adequate for the determination of bioactive amines in egg albumen and yolk.