Capsaicin is a key component found in spices and peppers all around the world. It is the main source of “heat” in peppers. Capsaicin is a compound that is part of a small group called capsaicinoids. Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin make up more than 90% of the compounds within this group. Even though many published scholarly focused on extracting and determining capsaicin from hot peppers (green tissue), limited information is available on capsaicinoids obtained from processed foods. In this study, we combined microwave assisted extraction (MAE), solid phase extraction (SPE) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array (UHPLC-PDA) detection to determine capsaicinoids from a selection of commercially available hot sauces. In this high-throughput approach, we optimized the MAE method (12 min) for extraction of capsaicinoids from food matrices and compared them with conventional ultrasonic extraction (up to 1 hr). SPE method was optimized by comparing a variety of solid phase chemistry. Post-SPE collections were evaporated, reconstituted, syringe filtered and subsequently analyzed using UHPLC-PDA. A rapid separation method (10 min) was developed employing 50 mm × 2.1 mm × 2.6 µm ThermoFisher Accucore C18 column with a gradient elution using water and methanol. Spiking studies were carried out to insure accuracy and precision was accepted at a 5% level (RSD ≤5%).

Method development for determination of capsaicinoids from complex food matrices

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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