beta-Carotene and beta-apo-8'-carotenal contents in processed foods in Korea

A robust and rapid HPLC method for beta-carotene and beta-apo-8 '-carotenal analyses in various processed foods was developed. The analysis method was validated for low-fat, moderate-fat, and high-fat food matrices. The two carotenoids were identified by LC-MS/MS. The detection limits for beta-carotene and beta-apo-8 '-carotenal in the three food matrices were 0.08-0.27 mu g/g and 0.09-0.18 mu g/g, respectively. The inter-and intra-day accuracy and precision were in accordance with the Codex guidelines. The validated method was applied to 57 processed food samples, possibly containing beta-carotene and beta-apo-8 '-carotenal, obtained in Korea. The detected beta-carotene and beta-apo-8 '-carotenal levels in the samples ranged from not detected (ND) to 6.92 mu g/g and ND to 1.63 mu g/g, respectively. Chocolate and cheese samples had the highest beta-carotene and beta-apo-8 '-carotenal levels, respectively. Notably, several samples with no labeled carotenoid additives contained beta-carotene. Moreover, the developed analytical method was compatible with various processed food matrices.