Determination of purine contents in different parts of pork and beef by high performance liquid chromatography

• A HPLC method was developed and validated.
• Pork rump and beef sirloin had the highest purine value.
• Pork loin chop and beef rib eye were suitable for a low-purine diet.

Determination of adenine, hypoxanthine, guanine and xanthine in different parts of pork and beef using high performance liquid chromatography was described. Chromatographic separation was carried out on Waters Atlantis T3 column (4.6 mm × 250 mm × 5 μm) with column temperature at 30 °C. The mobile phase contained 99% 10.0 mmol/L ammonium formate solution at pH 3.6 and 1.0% methanol. Chromatography was achieved at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and detection wavelength at 254 nm. The results indicated that total purine amounts in pork rump and beef sirloin were higher than those in other parts (P < 0.05). The principal purine bases were hypoxanthine and adenine, and hypoxanthine content was the most highest in all samples (P < 0.05). As pork rump and beef sirloin contain considerable amounts of total purine and uricogenic purine base, we suggest that excess consumption of them be avoid, whereas pork loin chop and beef rib eye are more suitable for a low-purine diet.