Evaluation of a method based on liquid chromatography–diode array detector–tandem mass spectrometry for a rapid and comprehensive characterization of the fat-soluble vitamin and carotenoid profile of selected plant foods

The feasibility of using reversed-phase liquid chromatography/diode array/tandem mass spectrometry (LC–DAD–MS/MS) for a rapid and comprehensive profiling of fat soluble vitamins and pigments in some foods of plant origin (maize flour, green and golden kiwi) was evaluated. The instrumental approach was planned for obtaining two main outcomes within the same chromatographic run: (i) the quantitative analysis of ten target analytes, whose standards are commercially available; (ii) the screening of pigments occurring in the selected matrices. The quantitative analysis was performed simultaneously for four carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, and β-carotene) and six compounds with fat-soluble activity (α-tocopherol, δ-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, ergocalciferol, phylloquinone and menaquinone-4), separated on a C30 reversed-phase column and detected by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) tandem mass spectrometry, operating in Selected Reaction Monitoring (SRM) mode. Extraction procedure was based on matrix solid-phase dispersion with recoveries of all compounds under study exceeding 78 and 60% from maize flour and kiwi, respectively. The method intra-day precision ranged between 3 and 7%, while the inter-day one was below 12%. The mild isolation conditions precluded artefacts creation, such as cis-isomerization phenomena for carotenoids. During the quantitative LC-SRM determination of the ten target analytes, the identification power of the diode array detector joined to that of the triple quadrupole (QqQ) allowed the tentatively identification of several pigments (chlorophylls and carotenoids), without the aid of standards, on the basis of: (i) the UV–vis spectra recorded in the range of 200–700 nm; (ii) the expected retention time; (iii) the two SRM transitions, chosen for the target carotenoids but also common to many of isomeric carotenoids occurring in the selected foods.