title: Rapid determination of lycopene and β-carotene in tomato by liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The tomato fruit is a dietary source of carotenoids, bioactive antioxidant compounds that play an important role in the prevention of degenerative diseases. Several extraction and detection techniques regarding carotenoids in tomatoes can be found in the literature, mainly based on high-performance liquid chromatography separation and ultraviolet-visible detection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The best extraction conditions and tandem mass spectrometry (MS) analysis were evaluated: lycopene and β-carotene were extracted in a cyclohexane/ethyl acetate mixture without the addition of antioxidants, next separated by liquid chromatography on a C(18) column and then determined through electrospray tandem MS. Ionic suppression by the matrix in negative ionisation mode did not allow the analysis of extracts, hence the positive ionisation mode was chosen. Validation parameters demonstrated the suitability for purpose of the analytical method: accuracy, precision, linearity and detection limits were adequate. The method was finally applied to different tomato samples, and differences could be easily highlighted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The method was simple, fast and appropriate for the purpose of analysing lycopene and β-carotene in tomatoes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Agricultural Chemistry, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, Italy. luigi.lucini@unicatt.it
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lucini
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pellizzoni
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baffi
authors.forename: Gian Pietro
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Molinari
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D004032:Diet; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007477:Ions; D057230:Limit of Detection; D000077276:Lycopene; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D007477:Ions; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; D000077276:Lycopene