Discrepancies in Mineral Oil Confirmation by Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry: A Call for Harmonization

Three different vegetable oils, namely coconut oil, palm olein and olive oil, were analyzed for mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOHs) in our laboratory and in five commercial laboratories well recognized for their expertise in this field. The analysis consisted of a preliminary quantitative estimation of...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: José Fernando Huertas-Pérez, Cristina Cruz-Hernández, Antonio Núñez-Galindo, Mathieu Dubois, Loïc Perring, Adrienne Tarres, Julie Nicolay, Céline Vocat, Thierry Delatour
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Molecules
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/13/2830
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1839631700780384256
author José Fernando Huertas-Pérez
Cristina Cruz-Hernández
Antonio Núñez-Galindo
Mathieu Dubois
Loïc Perring
Adrienne Tarres
Julie Nicolay
Céline Vocat
Thierry Delatour
author_facet José Fernando Huertas-Pérez
Cristina Cruz-Hernández
Antonio Núñez-Galindo
Mathieu Dubois
Loïc Perring
Adrienne Tarres
Julie Nicolay
Céline Vocat
Thierry Delatour
author_sort José Fernando Huertas-Pérez
collection DOAJ
description Three different vegetable oils, namely coconut oil, palm olein and olive oil, were analyzed for mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOHs) in our laboratory and in five commercial laboratories well recognized for their expertise in this field. The analysis consisted of a preliminary quantitative estimation of MOH content by hyphenated liquid chromatography–gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (LC-GC-FID), followed by a confirmatory analysis of MOH components by two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC-ToF). The results provided by the six laboratories were compared to check their consistency, which would have led to a hypothetical commercial agreement or dispute scenarios, for instance. The comparison was based merely on information provided by the laboratories in their analytical reports (i.e., the methodology was not challenged, and chromatograms were not reviewed). Additionally, some of the laboratories were willing to provide some more information or details of the analysis. Similar quantitative results were provided by all six laboratories, emphasizing the utility of the current available harmonized guidelines and official standards for this method. However, as regards confirmatory results, discrepancies were observed among some laboratories in terms of the detection of MOH markers at low levels and the interpretation of GCxGC-ToF information. Even taking into account the limitation of this study as regards the reduced number of laboratories included, it highlights the need for harmonizing the GCxGC-ToF confirmatory method for MOHs in order to increase the alignment of results between laboratories for this kind of analysis.
format Article
id doaj-art-e715ab59ab0e403dbe60b92b896f0a0c
institution Matheson Library
issn 1420-3049
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Molecules
spelling doaj-art-e715ab59ab0e403dbe60b92b896f0a0c2025-07-11T14:41:10ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-07-013013283010.3390/molecules30132830Discrepancies in Mineral Oil Confirmation by Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry: A Call for HarmonizationJosé Fernando Huertas-Pérez0Cristina Cruz-Hernández1Antonio Núñez-Galindo2Mathieu Dubois3Loïc Perring4Adrienne Tarres5Julie Nicolay6Céline Vocat7Thierry Delatour8Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, CH-1000 Lausanne, SwitzerlandNestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, CH-1000 Lausanne, SwitzerlandNestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, CH-1000 Lausanne, SwitzerlandNestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, CH-1000 Lausanne, SwitzerlandNestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, CH-1000 Lausanne, SwitzerlandNestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, CH-1000 Lausanne, SwitzerlandNestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, CH-1000 Lausanne, SwitzerlandNestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, CH-1000 Lausanne, SwitzerlandNestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, CH-1000 Lausanne, SwitzerlandThree different vegetable oils, namely coconut oil, palm olein and olive oil, were analyzed for mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOHs) in our laboratory and in five commercial laboratories well recognized for their expertise in this field. The analysis consisted of a preliminary quantitative estimation of MOH content by hyphenated liquid chromatography–gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (LC-GC-FID), followed by a confirmatory analysis of MOH components by two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC-ToF). The results provided by the six laboratories were compared to check their consistency, which would have led to a hypothetical commercial agreement or dispute scenarios, for instance. The comparison was based merely on information provided by the laboratories in their analytical reports (i.e., the methodology was not challenged, and chromatograms were not reviewed). Additionally, some of the laboratories were willing to provide some more information or details of the analysis. Similar quantitative results were provided by all six laboratories, emphasizing the utility of the current available harmonized guidelines and official standards for this method. However, as regards confirmatory results, discrepancies were observed among some laboratories in terms of the detection of MOH markers at low levels and the interpretation of GCxGC-ToF information. Even taking into account the limitation of this study as regards the reduced number of laboratories included, it highlights the need for harmonizing the GCxGC-ToF confirmatory method for MOHs in order to increase the alignment of results between laboratories for this kind of analysis.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/13/2830mineral oilfood contaminantsGCxGC-ToFLC-GC-FIDlaboratory comparison
spellingShingle José Fernando Huertas-Pérez
Cristina Cruz-Hernández
Antonio Núñez-Galindo
Mathieu Dubois
Loïc Perring
Adrienne Tarres
Julie Nicolay
Céline Vocat
Thierry Delatour
Discrepancies in Mineral Oil Confirmation by Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry: A Call for Harmonization
Molecules
mineral oil
food contaminants
GCxGC-ToF
LC-GC-FID
laboratory comparison
title Discrepancies in Mineral Oil Confirmation by Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry: A Call for Harmonization
title_full Discrepancies in Mineral Oil Confirmation by Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry: A Call for Harmonization
title_fullStr Discrepancies in Mineral Oil Confirmation by Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry: A Call for Harmonization
title_full_unstemmed Discrepancies in Mineral Oil Confirmation by Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry: A Call for Harmonization
title_short Discrepancies in Mineral Oil Confirmation by Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry: A Call for Harmonization
title_sort discrepancies in mineral oil confirmation by two dimensional gas chromatography mass spectrometry a call for harmonization
topic mineral oil
food contaminants
GCxGC-ToF
LC-GC-FID
laboratory comparison
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/13/2830
work_keys_str_mv AT josefernandohuertasperez discrepanciesinmineraloilconfirmationbytwodimensionalgaschromatographymassspectrometryacallforharmonization
AT cristinacruzhernandez discrepanciesinmineraloilconfirmationbytwodimensionalgaschromatographymassspectrometryacallforharmonization
AT antonionunezgalindo discrepanciesinmineraloilconfirmationbytwodimensionalgaschromatographymassspectrometryacallforharmonization
AT mathieudubois discrepanciesinmineraloilconfirmationbytwodimensionalgaschromatographymassspectrometryacallforharmonization
AT loicperring discrepanciesinmineraloilconfirmationbytwodimensionalgaschromatographymassspectrometryacallforharmonization
AT adriennetarres discrepanciesinmineraloilconfirmationbytwodimensionalgaschromatographymassspectrometryacallforharmonization
AT julienicolay discrepanciesinmineraloilconfirmationbytwodimensionalgaschromatographymassspectrometryacallforharmonization
AT celinevocat discrepanciesinmineraloilconfirmationbytwodimensionalgaschromatographymassspectrometryacallforharmonization
AT thierrydelatour discrepanciesinmineraloilconfirmationbytwodimensionalgaschromatographymassspectrometryacallforharmonization