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  • Herbs and spices: characterization and quantitation of biologically-active markers for routine quality control by multiple headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with separative or non-separative analysis.

Herbs and spices: characterization and quantitation of biologically-active markers for routine quality control by multiple headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with separative or non-separative analysis.

Journal of chromatography. A (2014-12-30)
Barbara Sgorbini, Carlo Bicchi, Cecilia Cagliero, Chiara Cordero, Erica Liberto, Patrizia Rubiolo
ABSTRACT

Herbs and spices are used worldwide as food flavoring, thus determination of their identity, origin, and quality is mandatory for safe human consumption. An analysis strategy based on separative (HS-SPME-GC-MS) and non-separative (HS-SPME-MS) approaches is proposed for the volatile fraction of herbs and spices, for quality control and to quantify the aromatic markers with a single analysis directly on the plant material as such. Eight-to-ten lots of each of the following herbs/spices were considered: cloves (Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & Perry), American peppertree (Schinus molle L.), black pepper and white pepper (Piper nigrum L.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), sage (Salvia officinalis L.) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.). Homogeneity, origin, and chemotypes of the investigated lots of each herb/spice were defined by fingerprinting, through statistical elaboration with principal component analysis (PCA). Characterizing aromatic markers were directly quantified on the solid matrix through multiple headspace extraction-HS-SPME (MHS-SPME). Reliable results were obtained with both separative and non-separative methods (where the latter were applicable); the two were in full agreement, RSD% ranging from 1.8 to 7.7% for eugenol in cloves, 2.2-18.4% for carvacrol+thymol in thyme, and 3.1-16.8% for thujones in sage.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), df 7 μm(PDMS, needle size 23 ga, for use with autosampler
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), df 30 μm(PDMS, needle size 24 ga, for use with manual holder
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly polyacrylate (PA), df 85 μm(PA, for use with manual holder, needle size 24 ga
Supelco
SPME Fiber Assembly Polydimethylsiloxane/Divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB), df 65 μm(PDMS/DVB, for use with autosampler, needle size 23 ga
Sigma-Aldrich
Eugenol, natural, ≥98%, FG
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), df 7 μm(PDMS, needle size 24 ga, for use with autosampler
Supelco
SPME Fiber Assembly Polydimethylsiloxane/Divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB), df 65 μm(PDMS/DVB, needle size 24 ga, StableFlex, for use with manual holder
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), df 100 μm(PDMS, for use with autosampler, needle size 24 ga
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly, Carbowax-Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Coating, needle size 23 ga, df 60 μm(PEG, metal alloy fiber, for use with manual holder
Supelco
SPME-OC Fiber Assembly, Polydimethylsiloxane/Divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB), df 75 μm(Coating thickness includes 65 μm coating + 10 μm OC (overcoating), needle size 23 ga, pkg of 3 ea, fiber L 1 cm
Sigma-Aldrich
Divinylbenzene, technical grade, 55%
Sigma-Aldrich
Eugenol, ≥98%, FCC, FG
Supelco
SPME Sampling Stand, for use with 4 mL vials
Supelco
SPME Sampling Stand, for use with 15 mL vials
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), df 100 μm(PDMS, needle size 24 ga, for use with manual holder
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), metal alloy fiber, df 100 μm(PDMS, needle size 23 ga, for use with autosampler
Supelco
SPME Portable Field Sampler, coating PDMS
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly, Carbowax-Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Coating, needle size 23 ga, df 60 μm(PEG, for use with autosampler
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly polyacrylate (PA), df 85 μm(PA, for use with autosampler, needle size 24 ga
Supelco
SPME Fiber Assembly Polydimethylsiloxane/Divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB), df 65 μm(PDMS/DVB, needle size 23 ga, PDMS/DVB StableFlex, for use with autosampler
Sigma-Aldrich
Divinylbenzene, technical grade, 80%
Supelco
SPME Fiber Assembly Polydimethylsiloxane/Divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB), df 65 μm(PDMS/DVB, needle size 24 ga, for use with manual holder
Supelco
SPME Portable Field Sampler, coating CAR/PDMS
Supelco
SPME Portable Field Sampler, coating PDMS/DVB
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), df 100 μm(PDMS, for use with autosampler, needle size 23 ga
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), df 7 μm(PDMS, needle size 24 ga, for use with manual holder
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), df 30 μm(PDMS, needle size 24 ga, for use with autosampler
Supelco
SPME Fiber Assembly Polydimethylsiloxane/Divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB), fused silica fiber, df 65 μm(PDMS/DVB, for use with manual holder, needle size 23 ga
Supelco
Eugenol, PESTANAL®, analytical standard
Sigma-Aldrich
Linalool, ≥97%, FCC, FG