Combined Experimental and Multivariate Model Approaches for Glycoalkaloid Quantification in Tomatoes.

The intake of tomato glycoalkaloids can exert beneficial effects on human health. For this reason, methods for a rapid quantification of these compounds are required. Most of the methods for α-tomatine and dehydrotomatine quantification are based on chromatographic techniques. However, these techniques require complex and time-consuming sample pre-treatments. In this work, HPLC-ESI-QqQ-MS/MS was used as reference method. Subsequently, multiple linear regression (MLR) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) were employed to create two calibration models for the prediction of the tomatine content from thermogravimetric (TGA) and attenuated total reflectance (ATR) infrared spectroscopy (IR) analyses. These two fast techniques were proven to be suitable and effective in alkaloid quantification (R2 = 0.998 and 0.840, respectively), achieving low errors (0.11 and 0.27%, respectively) with the reference technique.

Prediction of quality parameters in straw wine by means of FT-IR spectroscopy combined with multivariate data processing.

This study represents the first attempt to combine mid infrared (MIR) spectroscopy and multivariate data processing for prediction of alcohol degree, sugars content and total acidity in straw wine. 302 Italian samples, representing different vintages, production regions and grape varieties, were analysed using FT-MIR spectroscopy and reference methods. New regression functions based on a combination of Orthogonal Signal Correction and Partial Least Squares regression are proposed for prediction of quality parameters: this approach allows overcoming the issue of matrix complexity, reducing spectral interferences and enhancing the information embodied in fingerprinting data. The models proposed are characterised by an excellent reliability, with low error in prediction (alcohol: 0.28%; sugars: 9.9 g/L; acidity: 0.29 g/L) comparable both to reference methods and table wine models. Results demonstrate that vibrational spectroscopy, combined with a proper multivariate data strategy, represents a suitable strategy for the quick and non-destructive assessment of quality parameters of straw wine.