Simultaneous determination of carotenoids with different polarities in tomato products using a C30 core-shell column based approach

Abstract

A rapid and cost-effective chromatographic approach based on a core-shell column with high-performance liquid chromatography diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) is proposed for the quantification of carotenoids in tomato fruits and its derived products. Separation of analytes with different polarities, like lutein, β-carotene and lycopene was achieved in less than 16.5 min (total run time of 20 min) by using an Accucore C30 column (3.0 mm × 150 mm, 2.6 µm) with a gradient of methanol, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and ultrapure water, a temperature of 10 °C and a flow rate of 0.4 mL min−1. The maximum backpressure reached was 270 bar, making the developed method suitable for standard HPLC instruments commonly found in routine laboratories. After a thorough evaluation of the solvent for re-suspending the extracts, the mixture methanol:MTBE (1:1) was the most adequate to allow accurate quantification and avoid underestimation of analytes. The limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.03 to 0.46 mg kg−1 dry weight of the sample, with overall recoveries (accuracy) between 86% and 116% for target compounds. The developed method was applied for the determination of carotenoids in 7 fresh and processed tomato samples confirming its suitability for quantification of analytes in different matrixes.