An LC-MS/MS-SRM Method for Simultaneous Quantification of Four Representative Organosulfur Compounds in Garlic Products

The quantitative analysis of organosulfur compounds is important for the quality control of various garlic products along with studying their molecular functionality and nutraceutical properties. In this study, a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-selected reaction monitoring (LC-MS/MS-SRM) method with electrospray ionization detection was developed and validated for the rapid, simultaneous quantification of four representative organosulfur compounds in garlic: alliin, S-allyl-L-cysteine, gamma-glutamyl-S-allyl-L-cysteine, and allicin. Stable SRM transitions were achieved for these compounds under optimized conditions, and the linear range extended from 1 to 2000 ng/mL. The limits of detection and quantification ranged from 0.003 to 0.058 ng/mL and from 0.01 to 0.19 ng/mL, respectively. Excellent recovery and reproducibility at different spiking levels were achieved. The method was successfully applied to the simultaneous quantification of organosulfur compounds in fresh garlic samples. This highly selective and sensitive LC-MS/MS-SRM method is expected to be a useful tool for studying molecular functionality and the quality control of garlic products.