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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Food Composition and Methods Development Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #290498
Title: Differentiating organic and conventional sage by chromatographic and mass spectrometry flow-injection fingerprints

Author
item GAO, BOYAN - University Of Maryland
item LU, YINGJIAN - University Of Maryland
item Chen, Pei
item LIANGLI, YU (LUCY) - University Of Maryland

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/6/2013
Publication Date: 3/6/2013
Citation: Gao, B., Lu, Y., Chen, P., Liangli, Y. 2013. Differentiating Organic and Conventional Sage by Chromatographic and Mass Spectrometry Flow-Injection Fingerprints. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 61:2957-2963.

Interpretive Summary: Ten organically and ten conventionally grown sage samples were examined using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and flow-injection mass spectrometric (FIMS) fingerprinting methods. The fingerprints of the sage samples were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that both UPLC and FIMS fingerprints could differentiate the commercial organic and conventional sages. FIMS fingerprinting method only took 1 minute per sample which provided a rapid test to differentiate organic and conventional sages, and has potential for high-throughput applications. On the other hand, HPLC fingerprints provide more information about the chemical composition of the samples, but take longer time to differentiate organic and conventional sage samples.

Technical Abstract: High performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and flow injection electrospray ionization with ion trap mass spectrometry (FIMS) fingerprints combined with the principal component analysis (PCA) were examined for their potential in differentiating commercial organic and conventional sage samples. The individual components in the sage samples were also characterized with an ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) connected with quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometer (UPLC-Q-TOF MS). The results suggested that both UPLC and FIMS fingerprints combined with PCA could differentiate organic and conventional sage samples effectively. FIMS may serve as a quick test capable of distinguishing organic and conventional sages in 1 min, and could potentially be developed for high-throughput applications, whereas UPLC fingerprints could provide more chemical composition information with a longer analytical time. In practical application, unknown samples may be first subjected to FIMS fingerprint and PCA analysis, and additional UPLC fingerprint analysis may be performed when necessary.