Welcome to the World of LC-MS/MS for Food and Beverage Testing

Using LC-MS/MS for food testing applications is more affordable than you may think. With the SCIEX Triple Quad 3500 and Triple Quad 4500 systems you can perform robust, reliable and accurate methodologies for food and beverage analysis within your laboratory budget.

SCIEX Triple Quad 3500 system — cost effective entry level

If you’re currently running your assays using GC, GC-MS, or HPLC, a bold new world awaits you. Discover how the power of LC-MS/MS can simplify and consolidate your current assays, dramatically increase your assay quality, and vastly expand the repertoire of assays you can perform — without breaking your budget. With the SCIEX Triple Quad 3500 system, modern hardware, powerful software, and robust engineering combine to enable lower levels of detection and quantitation than conventional GC and LC workflows, and across a wider range of analytes. You will get expert-level performance at an entry-level price without laborious daily maintenance!

SCIEX Triple Quad 4500 system – a true workhorse

When your lab is faced with lots of samples and impending deadlines, you need a reliable mass spec system that avoids downtime risk. The SCIEX Triple Quad 4500 system together with SCIEX OS software is designed to overcome challenges detrimental to lab productivity and deliver capability for:

• Data quality that does not erode over long runs
• Timely data possessing capability without bottlenecks
• Getting immediate answers to problems as they arise.

Maximize uptime with an LC-MS/MS system that can handle even the most difficult matrices with ease.

Food Application Examples — for more information visit the SCIEX booth at FoodTech Qld, 7–8 July 2022 or click here.

Quantification of multiple antibiotics in milk using the SCIEX Triple Quad 3500 System

The nutritional well-being of livestock is often maintained by the administration of antibiotics. However, the usage of these antibiotics is a major threat to human health. Milk samples were analysed for the presence of antibiotics: albendazole, fenbendazole, tylosin and tilmicosin and metabolites. Sufficient sensitivity was provided with this assay to meet the MRL levels for these analytes and good assay performance was observed.

The SCIEX Triple Quad 3500 System provides a fast and accurate solution for the quantification of 8 antibiotics in milk samples using simple sample preparation combined with LC-MS/MS. The method developed as per 2002/657/EC directive recommendations showed acceptable accuracies (80%–120%) for analysis in matrix samples, linearity with r ≥ 0.99 for both the MRM transitions, and %CV for repeatability was ≤10% at the LLOD levels. No significant matrix interferences were observed. Automatic MRM ratio calculation provides quick confirmation of each analyte for increased assay confidence.

Simultaneous Analysis of Chloramphenicol and Tetracycline Antibiotics in Food Samples Using the SCIEX Triple Quad 3500 System

Utilizing LC-MS/MS for detection of antibiotic residues in a food samples offers many benefits to routine food testing labs, including the ability to screen for many compounds at once, the selectivity to meet regulatory guidelines, and the sensitivity to reduce sample preparation time to get to results faster. The SCIEX Triple Quad 3500 System enables labs performing antibiotic testing in foods to upgrade to LC-MS/MS and capitalize on its many benefits, at an affordable price.

An LC-MS/MS method for the identification and quantitation of antibiotics was successfully applied to different food samples, including honey, milk, shrimp and meat. The method consists of QuEChERS extraction followed by dilution to minimize possible ion suppression and a dilute and shoot approach for honey. The SCIEX Triple Quad 3500 System operated in MRM mode and utilizing the Scheduled MRM Algorithm was used for detection. Limits of detection (LOD) met regulatory requirements. Two to three MRM transitions were monitored for each analyte and the ratio of quantifier and qualifier transition was used for identification. Data processing was performed in MultiQuant Software. Identification criteria of directive 2002/657/EC were used for identification.

Simultaneous Analysis of 26 Mycotoxins in Grain on a SCIEX Triple Quad 3500 System

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by a wide range of fungi known to contaminate a variety of food and agricultural commodities worldwide and have been recognized as a potential health threat to humans and animals. Thus, there is a demand for powerful and rapid analytical methods that can detect very low concentrations of mycotoxins in a variety of sample matrices. In recent years, LCMS/MS has gained popularity, becoming the method of choice, leveraging its ability to analyse a wider range of compounds in a single analysis coupled together with the high selectivity and sensitivity of Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM).

A fast, robust, and reliable method for the detection of 26 mycotoxins in the matrix grain was developed and validated. A fast purification method was used to cover the 26 kinds of mycotoxins. High resolution LC using a small particle size column was combined with high sensitivity detection using a SCIEX Triple Quad 3500 system. Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) was used because of its high selectivity and sensitivity. The Scheduled MRM algorithm used to obtain optimized dwell times and cycle times for best sensitivity and reproducibility. The method was validated in different grain matrices. Limits of Quantitation (LOQ) of all mycotoxins were found between 0.5µg/kg and 20µg/kg. All LOQ meet the requirements of the grain Industry standard.

In summary the SCIEX Triple Quad 3500 and Triple Quad 4500 systems offer your laboratory:

Analyte coverage

Deliver unrivalled data accuracy for premium trace level detection across a diverse range of testing suites.

High-throughput quantification

Achieve uninterrupted operation, test complex samples and minimize the constraints of sample preparation to yield a faster return.

Premium performance at the right price

A trusted brand like SCIEX will reassure your customers that they will get a quality analysis and can have utmost confidence in the results.

For more information, talk to the SCIEX team at FoodTech Qld, 7–8 July 2022 or click here.