Analysis of Plant Sterol and Stanol Esters in Cholesterol-Lowering Spreads and Beverages Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography−Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization−Mass Spectroscopy

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 51; no. 19; pp. 5639 - 5646
• Main Authors: Mezine, Igor, Zhang, Huizhen, Macku, Carlos, Lijana, Robert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 10.09.2003
• Subjects: Anticholesteremic Agents; Beverages - analysis; Cholesterol - analogs & derivatives; Cholesterol - analysis; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid - methods; Citrus; Esters - analysis; Fruit; Margarine - analysis; Mass Spectrometry - methods; Phytosterols - analysis; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sitosterols - analysis; Sitosterols - chemistry; Stigmasterol - analysis
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf030030w

Plant sterol and stanol esters were separated on a Luna hexyl-phenyl column using a gradient of acetonitrile (90−100%) in water. The eluted compounds were detected by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI)−mass spectroscopy (MS) in the positive mode. Sterol and stanol esters produced [M + H − HOOCR]+ ions. Application of the hyphenated techniqueLC-MSallowed differentiation between a number of esters of sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, and (tentatively) avenasterol, as well as sitostanol and campestanol esters. With cholesteryl decanoate used as the internal standard, the method showed good linearity, precision, and reproducibility. The method required minimal sample pretreatment and can be applied to samples with high water content (juices) as well as samples with high oil content (margarine spreads). The method could be useful for the analysis of sterol and stanol esters in fortified food products. Keywords: Sterol esters; stanol esters; cholesterol-lowering food; orange juice; Benecol; Take Control; liquid chromatography−atmospheric pressure chemical ionization−mass spectroscopy