title: Potential of gas chromatography-orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-oaTOFMS) in flavor research.
abstract: Gas chromatography-orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-oaTOFMS) is an emerging technique offering a straightforward access to a resolving power up to 7000. This paper deals with the use of GC-oaTOFMS to identify the flavor components of a complex seafood flavor extract and to quantify furanones formed in model Maillard reactions. A seafood extract was selected as a representative example for complex food flavors and was previously analyzed using GC-quadrupole MS, leaving several molecules unidentified. GC-oaTOFMS analysis was focused on these unknowns to evaluate its potential in flavor research, particularly for determining exact masses. N-Methyldithiodimethylamine, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, and tetrahydro-2,4-dimethyl-4H-pyrrolo[2,1-d]-1,3,5-dithiazine were successfully identified on the basis of the precise mass determination of their molecular ions and their major fragments. A second set of experiments was performed to test the capabilities of the GC-oaTOFMS for quantification. Calibration curves were found to be linear over a dynamic range of 10(3) for the quantification of furanones. The quantitative data obtained using GC-oaTOFMS confirmed earlier results that the formation of 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone was favored in the xylose/glycine model reaction and 2(or 5)-ethyl-4-hydroxy-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone in the xylose/alanine model reaction. It was concluded that GC-oaTOFMS may become a powerful analytical tool for the flavor chemist for both identification and quantification purposes, the latter in particular when combined with stable isotope dilution assay.
authors.affiliation: Nestlé Research Centre, Nestec Ltd., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, P.O. Box 44, 1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland. laurent-bernard.fay@rdls.nestle.com
authors.forename: Laurent B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Fay
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Simian
authors.forename: Fabien
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Robert
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Douce
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hancock
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Imre
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Blank
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002138:Calibration; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods*; D005663:Furans / Q000032:analysis*; D015416:Maillard Reaction; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis*; D013649:Taste
chemical_list: D005663:Furans