Elemental and isotopic analysis: solutions for food authenticity, quality and safety

Importance of the Topic

Food products require reliable elemental and isotopic analysis to ensure nutritional value, compliance with evolving safety regulations, and authenticity verification. Stricter limits on heavy metals in baby foods and increased demand for transparent labeling drive the need for sensitive, interference-free methods.

Goals and Overview

This work presents integrated workflows for detecting key nutritional and toxic elements via triple quadrupole ICP-MS, quantifying total C, H, N, S, and O by dynamic flash combustion elemental analysis, and authenticating origin through stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Applications include baby food safety assessment, protein and sulfur profiling in foods, and forensic-level isotope fingerprinting for food provenance.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• Triple Quadrupole ICP-MS (Thermo Scientific iCAP TQe/TQ): Q1 selects the target m/z, CRC operated in O₂ mass-shift mode removes polyatomic and doubly charged interferences, and Q3 filters product ions for interference-free detection.
• Collision/Reaction Cell modes: Kinetic Energy Discrimination and reactive O₂ gas simplify method development by providing single-mode operation for most analytes.
• FlashSmart Elemental Analyzer: Modified Dumas combustion with Thermal Conductivity Detection and MAS Plus autosampler enables rapid measurement of total C, H, N, S, O in solid and liquid samples.
• Isotope Ratio MS (IRMS) platforms: EA IsoLink for bulk δ13C/δ15N, GC IsoLink II for compound-specific δ13C/δ2H, LC IsoLink for sugar δ13C, and GasBench Plus for water δ2H/δ18O.

Key Findings and Discussion

• ICP-MS method detection limits achieved sub-µg·kg⁻¹ quantification of As, Cd, Hg, Pb, and Se in baby foods, outperforming tightened regulatory thresholds.
• Certified reference materials (NIST CRM 1515 apple leaves, CRM 2383a baby food, BCR-063 milk powder) yielded recoveries within ±10% of certified values, demonstrating accuracy.
• Robust performance across soil, plant, feed, and finished food matrices validated the full analytical cycle from field sampling to product testing.
• Single-mode TQ-O₂ workflow reduced method setup complexity and analysis time while maintaining superior interference removal.
• FlashSmart EA delivered precise protein (via N) and sulfur measurements in grains, dairy, and meats with RSDs below 1.5%, supporting labeling compliance and quality control.
• Isotopic fingerprints (δ13C, δ15N, δ18O, δ2H) effectively distinguished geographic origin, organic vs. conventional production, and adulteration in honey, wine, dairy, and meat samples.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Enhanced selectivity and sensitivity ensure compliance with global food safety regulations, particularly for vulnerable baby food products.
• Streamlined autosampler integration and single-mode methods increase laboratory throughput and reduce turnaround time.
• Integrated software suites (Qtegra ISDS, EagerSmart) automate data acquisition, processing, and reporting, improving consistency and reducing user error.
• Stable isotope analysis offers robust tools for supply chain transparency, anti-fraud efforts, and origin certification.

Future Trends and Applications

• Further expansion of single-mode quadrupole ICP-MS protocols to cover an even wider range of trace elements and matrices.
• Integration of high-resolution chromatographic separations with IRMS for comprehensive compound-specific profiling.
• Application of machine learning for method optimization, including predictive interference removal and automated Reaction Finder guidance.
• Development of extensive isotope fingerprint databases to enable rapid, on-demand origin verification and real-time authenticity screening.

Conclusion

Advanced elemental and isotopic measurement platforms deliver high accuracy, superior interference removal, and streamlined workflows essential for modern food safety, nutritional analysis, and authenticity verification. These integrated solutions support evolving regulatory requirements and market demand for transparent, high-quality food products.