ABSTRACT
A solid-phase microextraction procedure followed by analysis by gas chromatography is proposed to determine surface flavouring content in encapsulated flavouring. The method showed a good selectivity, as well as good intraday and interday precision, CVs<4% in both cases. The calibration curves were linear at the tested ranges (R=0.998). The limits of detection and quantification were 0.52 g kg(-1) and 1.57 g kg(-1), respectively. Good recoveries were obtained (90.8-104.5%). In the ruggedness test, sample amount, pre-extraction time, desorption time and desorption temperature were the factors that stood out as the causing of the greater effects on the analytical results. These results present a SPME methodology, which may be applied as a quality control tool for industrial laboratories.