Research and application of multi-component sterol determination methods in pre-prepared dishes
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Background: Pre-prepared dishes contain fats/oils, high protein, and complex seasonings, making sterol detection difficult due to multiple components and matrix interference. Given the market's analytical challenges, detecting sterols-key functional components affecting nutritional value-is practically vital. This study aims to develop a sensitive, selective GC-MS method for simultaneous qualitative and quantitative multi-component sterol analysis in pre-prepared dishes and to examine their compositional traits. Methods: After saponification treatment, the sample undergoes ultrapure water-assisted dispersion and n-hexane extraction. The extract is dried and subjected to derivatization reaction. The derivative is redissolved and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for qualitative identification, with quantification performed using the internal standard method. This method optimizes sample pretreatment and chromatographic separation conditions, enhancing detection efficiency and separation effectiveness. Results: = 6) of 0.99-9.00%. Application of this method to analyze actual pre-prepared dish samples revealed significant variations in cholesterol content among different dish categories, with meat ingredients playing a dominant role. The sterol composition exhibited marked diversity: ergosterol was not detected in pre-prepared dishes, while β-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol constituted the major components. Notable differences in sterol content and composition were observed across different categories of pre-prepared dishes, further confirming the impact of various meat raw materials and processing technologies on sterol levels. Conclusion: The GC-MS analytical method established in this study has been validated to demonstrate excellent reliability and applicability, providing an efficient analytical tool for precise detection of multi-component sterols in pre-prepared dishes. This method supports quality control and nutritional value assessment in the pre-prepared dish industry, facilitating product labeling standardization and informed consumer choices.
Source: Frontiers in Nutrition
Authors: Ying Ying, Zhengyan Hu, Pinggu Wu, Xianfa Luo, Liyuan Wang, Jing Chen
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W4415388012