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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

Eugenol, European Pharmacopoeia (EP) Reference Standard
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 fiber assembly, Carbowax-Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Coating, needle size 23 ga, df 60 μm(PEG, for use with autosampler
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), metal alloy fiber, df 100 μm(PDMS, needle size 23 ga, for use with autosampler
Supelco
SPME Sampling Stand, for use with 4 mL vials
Supelco
SPME Portable Field Sampler, coating CAR/PDMS
Supelco
SPME Fiber Assembly Polydimethylsiloxane/Divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB), df 65 μm(PDMS/DVB, for use with autosampler, needle size 23 ga
Supelco
SPME Sampling Stand, for use with 15 mL vials
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), df 100 μm(PDMS, for use with manual holder, needle size 23 ga
Supelco
SPME fiber assembly Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), df 7 μm(PDMS, needle size 23 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
SPME fiber assembly Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), df 100 μm(PDMS, for use with autosampler, needle size 24 ga
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 7 μm(PDMS, needle size 24 ga, for use with autosampler
Supelco
SPME Portable Field Sampler, coating PDMS/DVB
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 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 (PDMS), df 30 μm(PDMS, needle size 24 ga, 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 24 ga, for use with manual holder
Supelco
SPME Portable Field Sampler, coating PDMS
Supelco
Eugenol, certified reference material, TraceCERT®, Manufactured by: Sigma-Aldrich Production GmbH, Switzerland
Supelco
Eugenol, Pharmaceutical Secondary Standard; Certified Reference Material
Sigma-Aldrich
Divinylbenzene, technical grade, 55%
Sigma-Aldrich
(−)-Bornyl acetate, 95%
Sigma-Aldrich
Linalool, 97%
Sigma-Aldrich
Eugenol, ≥98%, FCC, FG
Sigma-Aldrich
Poly(dimethylsiloxane), viscosity 1.0 cSt (25 °C)
Sigma-Aldrich
Hexamethyldisiloxane, viscosity 0.65 cSt (25 °C)