title: A Possible Freshness Marker for Royal Jelly: Formation of 5-Hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde as a Function of Storage Temperature and Time.
abstract: In this article we present a study of the variability of the concentration of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (HMF) in natural royal jelly (RJ) as a function of its storage temperature (-18, 4, and 25 °C) and time (up to 9 months after harvesting). For this work HMF is evaluated using an RP-HPLC method we previously assessed. While all RJ samples stored at 4 and -18 °C always showed levels of HMF under the limit of detection (0.13 mg kg(-1)), samples kept at 25 °C showed an exponential increase in the concentration of HMF as a function of the storage time. This behavior and a number of desirable features of the analytical method used (ease of use in routine laboratories, availability of a complete validation protocol specifically developed for RJ, based on consolidated chemical knowledge) allow us to hypothesize the use of HMF as a possible, reliable freshness marker for RJ.
authors: †Università degli Studi di Sassari, Dipartimento di Chimica e Farmacia, via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Ciulu
authors: ‡Università degli Studi di Sassari, Dipartimento di Agraria, via De Nicola 9, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
authors: Ignazio
authors: I
authors: Floris
authors: §Università di Cagliari, Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato-Cagliari, Italy.
authors: Valeria M
authors: VM
authors: Nurchi
authors: †Università degli Studi di Sassari, Dipartimento di Chimica e Farmacia, via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
authors: Angelo
authors: A
authors: Panzanelli
authors: †Università degli Studi di Sassari, Dipartimento di Chimica e Farmacia, via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
authors: Maria I
authors: MI
authors: Pilo
authors: †Università degli Studi di Sassari, Dipartimento di Chimica e Farmacia, via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
authors: Nadia
authors: N
authors: Spano
authors: †Università degli Studi di Sassari, Dipartimento di Chimica e Farmacia, via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
authors: Gavino
authors: G
authors: Sanna
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D061353:Food Storage; D005662:Furaldehyde / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D013696:Temperature; D000099219:Royal Jelly
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D005662:Furaldehyde; D000099219:Royal Jelly; C008046:5-hydroxymethylfurfural
keywords: 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde; HMF; Maillard reaction; RP-HPLC; freshness marker; royal jelly