Simultaneous determination of furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone in baby foods available in the Brazilian market

A liquid chromatography-diode array detection (LC-DAD) method is described for the simultaneous quantification of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), furfural, and 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone (HDMF) in different types of baby foods. Furan derivatives were extracted with acetonitrile, followed by partitioning with nhexane. The extract was then diluted with deionized water to a large volume to minimize the matrix interferences. The fitness-of-purpose of the developed method was verified by analytical selectivity, linearity in solvent and matrix-matched calibration curves and adequate recoveries (83-105 %) and precision (RSDs <= 6 %), under repeatability and within-laboratory reproducibility conditions. The occurrence of furan derivatives was investigated in 60 commercial baby food samples composed of fruits, vegetables and/or meats, including both homemade and industrialized samples. A wide variation in the mean contents of furan derivatives was observed, with the highest contents of HMF detected in baby foods made of plum (343.10 mu g g-1).