Application of QuEChERS Coupled with HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS for Determination of Heterocyclic Amines in Commercial Meat Products

This study aims to evaluate analysis of heterocyclic amines (HAs) in meat products by an established method using QuEChERS coupled with HPLD-DAD-ESI-MS/MS. A high extraction efficiency could be attained by QuEChERS method. Twenty HA standards plus one internal standard (4,7,8-TriMeIQx) could be separated within 27 min by using an Inspire C18 column and gradient mobile phase by HPLC-DAD, followed by identification and quantitation using selected reaction monitoring mode by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Limit of quantitation of HAs in meat samples ranged from 0.005 to 0.1 ng/g. Average recovery of 20 HAs in pork tenderloin, Pacific saury, and chicken breast ranged from 56.51 to 113.97%, 55.12 to 105.47%, and 59.06 to 103.29%, with coefficient of variation (CV) from 2.93 to 15.88%, 3.00 to 15.63%, and 4.84 to 16.60%, respectively. The CV for intra-day and inter-day precision ranged from 4.12 to 16.10% and 6.40 to 43.53% for pork tenderloin, 2.25 to 30.56% and 2.63 to 19.42% for Pacific saury, and 2.88 to 17.78% and 5.94 to 40.00% for chicken breast, respectively. Analysis of 30 commercial meat samples revealed harman and norharman to be the major HAs present at a level of 0.052–34.98 ng/g.