Visual authentication of edible vegetable oil and used cooking oil using MALDI imaging mass spectrometry

Authentication of edible oil is important for both health and commercial reasons. A novel method was developed for discrimination of edible oil and used cooking oil by using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-MSI). The method allowed rapid detection of oil authenticity by visual inspection without complex computational analyses. Edible oil was analyzed in positive ionization mode with scan range at m/z 280?1860, with numerous diagnostic ions that were able to authenticate different types of edible oil being discovered. The method exhibited good analytical performance for quantitation of major compositions of edible oil, such as triglycerides, diglycerides and monoglycerides. These results demonstrated great potential of MALDIMSI as a routine tool for edible oil analysis.

Automated summary

A novel method using MALDI-MSI was developed for rapid authentication of edible oil, demonstrating good analytical performance with the potential to become a routine tool for edible oil analysis.