Determination of 2- and 3-MCPD as well as 2- and 3-MCPD Esters and Glycidyl Esters (GE) in Infant and Adult/Pediatric Nutritional Formula by Gas Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry Method, First Action 2018.03.

Monochloropropanediol (MCPD) and its fatty acid esters as well as glycidyl fatty acid esters are substances generated during oil refining or food processing. The free form released during digestion, 3-MCPD and glycidol, have shown adverse effects in animal studies. So far, the available analytical methods have not been validated in a collaborative study for infant and adult nutritional formulas. This manuscript describes a single-laboratory validation method in view of a future multilaboratory validation trial. The method described is for the direct determination of 2- and 3-MCPD and indirect determination of 2- and 3-MCPD esters and glycidyl esters in infant and adult/pediatric nutritional formulas by GC coupled to MS. The analytical range was found to be 4-2000 μg/kg powder formula and 0.7-333 μg/kg liquid formula for fatty acid esters of MCPD and glycidol, and 2.5-750 μg/kg samples for free MCPD. The recovery rates were within 91-124% for all samples. Repeatability precision was <20% at levels close to the LOQ. The results met the (SMPR) set by the AOAC Stakeholder Panel on Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals. The AOAC Expert Review Panel approved the present method as AOAC 2018.03.