Analysis of fatty acid content in rice by GC-MS/MS combined with metabolite database (ASMS)

Significance of the Topic

Rice fatty acid composition strongly influences taste and nutritional quality, making sensitive analytical methods essential for breeders, quality control laboratories, and research into grain quality.

Objectives and Study Overview

This study aimed to develop and validate a rapid, accurate gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) method for quantifying 37 fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) in rice samples, leveraging a triple quadrupole GC-MS system and a dedicated metabolite database.

Instrumentation Used

• Shimadzu GCMS-TQ8040 NX triple quadrupole spectrometer
• SH-Rt-2560 capillary column (100 m × 0.25 mm × 0.2 µm)
• Smart Metabolites Database for compound screening and MRM method generation

Methodology

Rice seed powder (0.1 g) was methylated using 10% acetyl chloride in methanol at 80 °C for two hours. FAMEs were extracted with hexane and washed with sodium carbonate solution. The supernatant was analyzed under split injection at 250 °C, with a linear velocity of 40 cm/s. The column oven was programmed from 40 °C to 240 °C at 4 °C/min. Argon was used as CID gas, and key MS settings included an ion source temperature of 300 °C and an interface temperature of 230 °C.

Key Results and Discussion

The calibration curves for 37 FAME standards over 1–400 µg/L exhibited correlation coefficients above 0.999. Detection limits ranged from 0.01 to 9.47 µg/L. Six consecutive injections of a 100 µg/L standard showed RSDs below 3.94%, demonstrating excellent precision. Recovery tests on spiked blank rice (3 mg/kg) yielded average recoveries of 71–88% with RSDs below 9.5%, confirming method accuracy and reproducibility.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• High sensitivity and specificity for trace-level fatty acids
• Robust quantification of a broad fatty acid profile in complex matrices
• Streamlined sample preparation and automated database-driven method setup
• Applications in crop breeding, food quality assessment, and nutritional studies

Future Trends and Applications

Integrating high-throughput automation, expanding the method to other cereal grains, coupling with metabolomics workflows, and deploying real-time monitoring of grain quality represent promising directions for enhancing fatty acid analysis in agricultural and food science.

Conclusion

A GC-MS/MS method using a triple quadrupole system and metabolite database was successfully established for 37 FAMEs in rice. The approach offers excellent linearity, sensitivity, precision, and recovery, providing a valuable tool for analytical laboratories and research in grain quality.

References

No literature list provided in the original document.