Development of an analytical method for estimation of neotame in cake and ice cream

• Solid phase extraction method using C18 cartridge was standardized for the isolation of neotame in cake and ice cream.
• Most of the neotame was found at baking temperature (180 °C/20 min).
• Pasteurization (68 °C/30 min)of ice cream mix did not result in loss of neotame.
• Amount of neotame decreased in cake as well as ice cream upon storage.

A solid phase extraction method using C18 cartridge was standardized for the isolation of neotame from cake and ice cream. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed and validated for estimation of neotame in cake and ice cream. The developed HPLC method was simple, precise, accurate, reproducible and sensitive. Mobile phase consisted of 0.09% TFA, acetonitrile:water (60:40) and the flow rate was maintained at 0.6 ml/min. HPLC separation of neotame was carried out on a reverse phase C18 column with photo diode array detector at 210 nm. The recovery of neotame from cake and ice cream by the developed method ranged from 96.08 to 98.62%. At baking temperature (180 °C/20 min) 87.29% of the neotame remained intact, however the amount of neotame decreased significantly from 87.20 to 62.40% during storage (20 days at 25 °C). Pasteurization (68 °C/30 min) resulted in no loss of neotame in ice cream mix; however the amount of neotame decreased significantly from 99.42 to 89.93% during storage (90 days at −18 °C). The developed HPLC method can be successfully used for the routine determination of neotame in cake and ice cream formulations.