Standardization of a Mass Spectrometry-Based Workflow for Food Allergen Quantification.

In this chapter, the analytical workflow typically used for the development and validation of an analytical method tailored to food allergen detection and quantification is presented. The main steps defining the workflow are herein described and commented with specific notes about the critical issues that can be faced and common solutions to be adopted. References to guidelines and/or recommendation available from official bodies, as well as main papers from international consortia operating on the specific research field, are also reported, whenever possible. As such, this chapter may represent a practical guide to drive method development in the standardization of analytical methods for food allergen detection.

Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Coupled with Unsupervised Methods for Advanced Saffron Authenticity Screening.

Saffron, renowned for its aroma and flavor, is susceptible to adulteration due to its high value and demand. Current detection methods, including ISO standards, often fail to identify specific adulterants such as safflower or turmeric up to 20% (w/w). Therefore, the quest continues for robust screening methods using advanced techniques to tackle this persistent challenge of safeguarding saffron quality and authenticity. Advanced techniques such as time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), with its molecular specificity and high sensitivity, offer promising solutions. Samples of pure saffron and saffron adulterated with safflower and turmeric at three inclusion levels (5%, 10%, and 20%) were analyzed without prior treatment. Spectral analysis revealed distinct signatures for pure saffron, safflower, and turmeric. Through principal component analysis (PCA), TOF-SIMS effectively discriminated between pure saffron and saffron adulterated with turmeric and safflower at different inclusion levels. The variation between the groups is attributed to the characteristic peaks of safflower and the amino group peaks and mineral peaks of saffron. Additionally, a study was conducted to demonstrate that semi-quantification of the level of safflower inclusion can be achieved from the normalized values of its characteristic peaks in the saffron matrix.