Methodical support for controlling safety of cereals for children (exemplified by furan and methylfuran)

Introduction. The study addresses issues related to developing a procedure for identification of chemicals in food products in practical instrumental investigations. We have validated the method for quantification of a heterocyclic compound (furan) and sylvan (methylfuran) in grain-based cereals for children. The aim of this study was to develop a precise GC-MS-method for quantifying a heterocyclic compound and sylvan in food products to control their safety for children, especially infants. Materials and methods. The research objects were quantification means (QM) as a certain amount of an analyzed heterocyclic compound and sylvan (the mass share of the analyzed compound is 99%) provided by Sigma Aldrich Corporation (USA), as well as milk and milk-free dry cereals for babies. The study involved using an Agilent 7890А gas chromatographer with 5975С quadrupole mass-spectrometric detector. Sample preparation involved extraction and concentration of furan and methylfuran from food samples by statistical vapour-liquid equilibrium analysis and subsequent gas-chromatographic analysis of vapour phase. Results. The procedure for quantification of furan and methylfuran is an original scientific and technical development based on experimental data. It gives an opportunity to identify furan and methylfuran micro-admixtures in food samples with high precision and sensitivity with a range of concentrations between 0.93 and 9.37 ng and between 0.91 and 9.13 ng accordingly. The ultimate indicators describing acceptability of the results obtained by furan and methylfuran quantification included error not higher than 24%, пintra-laboratory precision (σRл ) not higher than 10%, correctness (± σCл ) not higher than 22%. Conclusion. The developed technique has shown high selectivity, sensitivity, reliability and satisfactory accuracy. The methodology meets the criteria of the State Standard of the Russian Federation GOST R ISO 5725-1-6-2002 and can be used for laboratory studies of food safety by enterprises and institutions engaged in quality control and research of food products and food raw materials.