Nontargeted Detection of Adulteration of Skim Milk Powder with Foreign Proteins Using UHPLC-UV

Chromatographic profiles of skim milk powder (SMP) and mixtures of SMP with soy (SPI), pea (PPI), brown rice (BRP), and hydrolyzed wheat protein (HWPI) isolates were obtained by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with 215 nm detection. Two data analysis approaches were compared for their utility to classify samples as authentic or adulterated. The t test approach evaluated data points exceeding the 99% confidence limit of the mean authentic SMP chromatogram and used data points from the entire chromatogram. The other approach used the multivariate Q statistic from a SIMCA model of authentic samples to determine adulteration and used a selected retention window to obtain best classifications. Q-Statistic and t test correctly classified adulteration of SMP with SPI at the 1% and 3% levels, respectively, while minimizing false classifications of authentic SMP. Detection of SMP adulterated with PPI, BRP, and HWPI was possible at higher adulteration levels.