[Rapid Determination of tert-Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) in Foods Using Three-Layer Extraction]

A rapid, easy and versatile analytical method based on three-layer extraction was developed for the determination of tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) in foods. In this method, degreasing with n-hexane, partitioning into acetonitrile, and purification by the salting-out were simultaneously performed after extraction with acetone. It allowed to prepare a test solution without concentrating, transferring, and purification using solid phase extraction column. As a result, TBHQ for a wide variety of 11 foods met the management criteria of the guideline for validity assessment (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan). Thus, the present method could be useful for a rapid determination of TBHQ in foods.