Takatsuki K, Sakai K
J Assoc Off Anal Chem. 1982 Jul;65(4):817-9.
A procedure was developed to determine propionates used as mold inhibitors and preservatives in bakery products. Propionates were extracted from the sample with water alkalinized by potassium carbonate. Water was evaporated, and the residue was reacted with paranitrobenzyl bromide in dimethyl-formamide-water (90 + 10) at room temperature to convert propionates to paranitrobenzyl ester, which was determined with a gas chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector. Bakery products, such as bread, sponge cake, cookies, and biscuits, were analyzed by this procedure. Recoveries from samples fortified with propionates ranged from 94 to 101%, with a standard deviation of 3.32. The concentrations determined were 50 to 2500 micrograms/g sample.
