Synthesis of different metallochlorophyllins and quantification in food samples by reversed phase – high performance liquid chromatography

Abstract

The complex formation between metals (Ni, Co, Zn, Fe, Pb, Sn and Ag) and natural chlorophyll extracted from green leaves was monitored in the present study. The respective metallochlorophyllin was prepared by the reaction of metal chloride or nitrate (1M) to chlorophyll extracted from Ficus leaves extract. All synthesized metallochlorophyllins were stable and Na-Cu-chlorohyllin (E141) which is permitted to add in food and are listed in European Directive 94/36/EC on food colouring materials, was identified in commercially available food commodities (candies). In this study different synthesized metallochlorophyllins were characterised by using UV-Vis, FT-IR, HPLC, AAS and HR-MS techniques. Many food commodities (i.e. candy, chips, drink, and cream biscuits) were monitored for metallochlorophyllins and Na-Cu-Chlorophyllin was detected only in real candy samples.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Chlorophyll
• metallochlorophyllins
• food colorants
• HPLC
• mass spectrometry

Acknowledgements

The authors highly acknowledge Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore-India and National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu-Taiwan for the instrumental facilities given to analyse the samples and the financial support obtained from Indo-Taiwan Collaborative Research Project [Ref. No: GITA/DST/TWN/P-72/2015 (B. K. Mandal) and MOST 104-2923-M-007-002-MY3 (Y. C. Ling)].

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).