title: Compound-Specific δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C Analyses of Amino Acids for Potential Discrimination between Organically and Conventionally Grown Wheat.
abstract: We present a study deploying compound-specific nitrogen and carbon isotope analysis of amino acids to discriminate between organically and conventionally grown plants. We focused on grain samples of common wheat and durum wheat grown using synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, animal manures, or green manures from nitrogen-fixing legumes. The measurement of amino acid δ(15)N and δ(13)C values, after protein hydrolysis and derivatization, was carried out using gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). Our results demonstrated that δ(13)C of glutamic acid and glutamine in particular, but also the combination of δ(15)N and δ(13)C of 10 amino acids, can improve the discrimination between conventional and organic wheat compared to stable isotope bulk tissue analysis. We concluded that compound-specific stable isotope analysis of amino acids represents a novel analytical tool with the potential to support and improve the certification and control procedures in the organic sector.
authors.affiliation: †Food Quality and Nutrition Department, IASMA Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via E. Mach 1, 38010 San Michele all'Adige, Trentino, Italy.|§Department of Food Science, University of Udine, Via Sondrio 2A, 33100 Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paolini
authors.affiliation: †Food Quality and Nutrition Department, IASMA Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via E. Mach 1, 38010 San Michele all'Adige, Trentino, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ziller
authors.affiliation: #Plant and Soil Science Section, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kristian Holst
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Laursen
authors.affiliation: #Plant and Soil Science Section, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Søren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Husted
authors.affiliation: †Food Quality and Nutrition Department, IASMA Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via E. Mach 1, 38010 San Michele all'Adige, Trentino, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Camin
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D058871:Organic Agriculture; D014908:Triticum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes
keywords: GC-C-IRMS; amino acids; authentication; compound-specific; stable isotopes; wheat