Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 21, 2026

The Terroir Concept Interpreted through Grape Berry Metabolomics and Transcriptomics
Published on: October 5, 2016
Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC)-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS/MS) Quantification of Nine Target
Rebeca Tudela1, Albert Ribas-Agustí2, Susana Buxaderas1
1Departament de Nutrició i Bromatologia, Xarxa de Referència en Tecnologia dels Aliments (XaRTA), Institut de recerca en Nutrició i Seguretat Alimentària (INSA), Universitat de Barcelona , Campus de l'Alimentació de Torribera, Avinguda Prat de la Riba 171, 08921 Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain.
Abstract:
An ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of nine target indoles in sparkling wines. The proposed method requires minimal sample pretreatment, and its performance parameters (accuracy, repeatability, LOD, and matrix effect) indicate that it is suitable for routine analysis. Four indoles were found at detectable levels in commercial Cava samples: 5-methoxytryptophol (5MTL), tryptophan (TRP), tryptophan ethyl ester (TEE), and N-acetylserotonin (NSER). Two of them, NSER and 5MTL, are reported here for the first time in sparkling wines, with values of 0.3-2 and 0.29-29.2 μg/L, respectively. In the same samples, the contents of melatonin (MEL), serotonin (SER), 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-OHTRP), 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5OHIA), and 5-methoxy-3-indoleacetic acid (5MIA) were all below the corresponding limits of detection.
Related Concept Videos
Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (ICP–MS): Overview
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography: Instrumentation
Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS): Interferences
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography: Introduction
In HPLC, two phases play a critical role in the separation process:
Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS)
A gas chromatograph consists of a long, narrow capillary column with a polysiloxane coating on the inner wall....
Chromatographic Methods: Classification
Chromatographic techniques are typically named by...

