Recent studies related to furan, benzene, and other VOCs in food showed that static headspace and purge and trap methods have limitations when used to determine VOCs, including matrix effects and artifact formation from thermal decomposition. EPA method 8261, a vacuum distillation method, was modified and validated for the determination of furan, chloroform, benzene, trichloroethene, toluene, and styrene in food matrices. The method samples VOCs at room temperature and under high vacuum. Validation studies showed that the limits of quantitation (LOQs) ranged from 0.06 ng/g styrene to 0.29 ng/g chloroform in infant formula and 0.08 ng/g styrene to 0.85 ng/g benzene in canned tuna. Test portions were fortified at 1, 2, and 3 times the LOQs and quantified by using external standards. The method of standard additions was used to evaluate the need to compensate for matrix effects by using matrix matched standards.

Determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in food by vacuum distillation sampling and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

244th National Meeting (2012)

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