Comprehensive detection of 120 additives in food using nontargeted MS data acquisition

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Food Science
• Mass Spectrometry

Background:

• Food additive labeling compliance is challenging due to numerous legal and illegal substances.
• Accurate identification of food additives is crucial for consumer safety and regulatory adherence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-throughput, non-targeted screening method for food additive analysis.
• To assess the compliance of food additive labeling in commercial food products.

Main Methods:

• Liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) with data-independent acquisition (DIA).
• Established a detection database of 120 additives (colorants, sweeteners, preservatives, antioxidants).
• Analyzed 33 commercial food samples (beverages, candies, sauces).

Main Results:

• Identified undeclared sweeteners (rebaudioside A) and flavoring agents (malic acid, fumaric acid) as the most common issues.
• HRMS served as a secondary separation tool for coeluted polar compounds like organic acids.
• Found significant discrepancies between product information and actual additive content.

Conclusions:

• The developed LC-HRMS method is effective for high-throughput food additive screening.
• Commercial food products often have underdeclared sweeteners and flavoring agents.
• There is a need for improved accuracy and transparency in food additive labeling.