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Analysis of Cocoa Flavanols and Procyanidins (DP 1-10) in Cocoa-Containing Ingredients and Products by Rapid Resolution Liquid Chromatography: A Single-Laboratory Validation.

Date:
Publisher: AOAC International
Authors: Machonis, P. R.; Jones, M. A.; Kwik-Uribe, C. L.

05/16/2013 - An AOAC expert review panel (ERP), chaired by James Harnly of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, granted First Action status to two methods for flavanols in foods. Methods were evaluated against standard method performance requirements (SMPRs) developed and approved through volunteer stakeholder consensus.

On March 14, 2013, during the AOAC Mid-Year Meeting, the ERP agreed that the method, “Modification to OMA 2012.24 Analysis of Cocoa Flavanols and Procyanidins (DP 1-10) in Cocoa-Containing Ingredients and Products by Rapid Resolution Liquid Chromatography: A Single-Laboratory Validation,” submitted by Mars, meets SMPRs as developed and approved by the Stakeholder Panel on Strategic Foods Analytical Methods (SPSFAM). The method is codified as First Action Official MethodSM 2013.03.

The results of the SLV were compared to the results previously obtained in the collaborative study of 2012.24, and found to be consistent. The translation to rapid resolution LC allowed for an 80% reduction in analysis time and solvent usage for 2013.03, while retaining the accuracy and reliability of the original method.

The ERP also granted First Action status to the method, “Determination of Catechin and Epicatechin Enantiomers in Cocoa-Based Ingredients and Products by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography: Single-Laboratory Validation,” also submitted by Mars [J. AOAC Int. 95, 500(2012)]. Results of the method show suitable performance for routine laboratory use in analysis of cocoa-based products. In an SLV study, the method was able to identify and quantify the flavanol enantiomers (+)- and (-)-epicatechin and (+)- and (-)-catechin in cocoa-based ingredients and products. These compounds were eluted isocratically with an ammonium acetate-methanol mobile phase applied to a modified ß-cyclodextrin chiral stationary phase and detected using fluorescence. The method was approved as First Action Official MethodSM 2013.04.

Full coverage appears in the March/April 2013 issue of Inside Laboratory Management. The newly approved methods for flavanols, as well as the SMPR, are available on the Official Methods of Analysis Online (www.eoma.aoac.org) and are currently in process for publication in the Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

The next SPSFAM meeting will be held August 23, 2013, prior to the AOAC Annual Meeting and Exposition in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

For more information on SPSFAM, of if you would like to participate, visit http://www.aoac.org/SPSFAM/spsfam.htm or contact Dawn Frazier, executive for scientific business development, at dfrazier@aoac.org.

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