title: Comparative evaluation of methods for the detection of 2-alkylcyclobutanones as indicators for irradiation treatment of cashew nuts and nutmeg.
abstract: Irradiation of food products and ingredients must be indicated by proper labeling. This study evaluated the appropriateness of the European Standard EN 1785:2003 for the detection of 2-alkylcyclobutanones, which are radiolysis products of fatty acids, in cashew nuts and nutmeg and confirmed its suitability to detect irradiation of cashew nut samples at average absorbed doses of 1 kGy and above. An alternative method was developed, which is based on matrix solid phase dispersion and subsequent separation and detection of oxime derivatives of 2-alkylcyclobutanones by high performance-high resolution mass spectrometry. It is more rapid, less resource consuming, and more sensitive than EN 1785:2003. This method allowed detection of 2-alkylcyclobutanones in cashew nuts irradiated at 100 Gray and in nutmeg irradiated at 400 Gray. None of the 26 cashew nut and 14 nutmeg samples purchased in different EU Member States contained traces of 2-alkylcyclobutanones.
authors: European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, Retieseweg 111, B-2440 Geel, Belgium. Electronic address: andreas.breidbach@ec.europa.eu.
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Breidbach
authors: European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, Retieseweg 111, B-2440 Geel, Belgium. Electronic address: franz.ulberth@ec.europa.eu.
authors: Franz
authors: F
authors: Ulberth
mesh_terms: D031021:Anacardium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002074:Butanones / Q000737:chemistry*; D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000379:methods*; D003503:Cyclobutanes / Q000032:analysis*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D005514:Food Irradiation; D026323:Myristica / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009754:Nuts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D002074:Butanones; D003503:Cyclobutanes; D005227:Fatty Acids
keywords: 2-ACB; 2-Dodecylcyclobutanone (PubChem CID: 161875); 2-Tetradecylcyclobutanone (PubChem CID: 566940); Cashew nuts; High resolution mass spectrometry; Irradiation; Liquid chromatography; Nutmeg