EMU: acquisition of high resolution liquid chromatograph with time-of-flight/mass spectrometry system (LC/Q-TOF/MS) for separation, identification and quantification of unknown non-volatile substances present in food and packaging

• Grant number: 22/11600-8
• Support Opportunities: Research Infrastructure Program - Technology and Innovation
• Start date: June 01, 2023
• End date: May 31, 2030
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Marisa Padula
• Grantee: Marisa Padula
• Host Institution: Instituto de Tecnologia de Alimentos (ITAL). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Cláudia Echevenguá Teixeira ; Fiorella Balardin Hellmeister Dantas ; Gabriela Alves Macedo
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/16178-5 - Migration of non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) from recycled polyolefin-based plastic packaging into contact with food, BP.TT

Abstract

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is one of the main techniques used in the analysis of non-volatile and/or thermally unstable compounds. It is an excellent separation technique, however, to confirm the chemical identity of substances, mass spectrometry (MS) is required, which is the technique that best provides the necessary structural information. Considering the complexity of the samples usually analysed by LC-MS (MS), the desired accuracy requires the use of high-resolution mass spectrometers, such as those with high-resolution time-of-flight (TOF) mass analysers. The TOF operating principle is based on measuring the "time of flight" of an ion within the mass spectrometer. LC/QTOF/MS has become a widely accepted technique in various fields of biological, pharmaceutical research, including metabolite identification, peptide analysis, and analysis of contaminants and components of food and packaging. The acquisition of the LC-QTOF/MS chromatographic system will have several applications in the area of food contaminants control (in natura or processed products), in addition to areas such as proteomics and metabolomics. The equipment will also have great application in the area of contaminants from packaging, such as the identification of not intentionally added substances (NIAS) as this is a powerful tool for the determination of traces and unquestionable confirmation of the compounds of interest. Several areas of Ital may be served in their projects that require the identification of non-volatile substances and even other Research Institutes and Universities. The equipment will be able to serve several Strategic Programs of the São Paulo State that contribute to Food Safety and Food Security, in addition to supporting exports and anticipating possible phytosanitary barriers. Ongoing debates in the area of food safety, especially in the European Union, suggest for the near future the adoption of high-resolution mass spectrometry as a standard for the generation data by laboratories accredited/recommended in this area. Ital's technical team has all the scientific requirements for understanding and use the equipment in order to obtain the best results of innovation. (AU)