Use of supercritical fluid extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to obtain amino acid profiles from several genetically modified varieties of maize and soybean

A method using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for obtaining the amino acid profiles of genetically modified maize and soybean is proposed. SEE is carried out in a homemade modular system where amino acids are extracted with carbon dioxide modified with 35% of methanol, in conditions optimized by a central composite design. Once extracted, the amino acids are determined by GC/MS. The method has been applied to three samples of maize derived from MON810, other from NK 603 and a Roundup ready soybean sample. The profiles are compared with those obtained from their corresponding isogenic non-transgenic varieties. Although differences are directly observed in some cases by visual comparison of the chromatograms, the application of ANOVA shows more significant differences. In general terms, isogenic varieties seem to have higher content of several amino acids. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.