Performance parameters of a UHPLC-UV method for quantification of free amino acids and bioactive amines in Mozzarella, Prato, Parmesan and Gorgonzola cheeses

Abstract

Performance parameters were presented for anultra high-performance liquid chromatographic method for determination of 19 amino acids, 10 bioactive amines and ammonium ion in Parmesan, Gorgonzola, Prato and Mozzarella cheeses. Analytical curves showed correlation coefficient ≥ 0.97. The method was selective for all analytes in the four types of cheese. The coefficients of variation in a repeatability experiment were all below 10%. The recovery of the compounds was over 70% in more than 76% of the determinations. The cheese with best recovery rates was Prato. The lowest limits of detection and quantification were found for glutamine, 0.07 and 0.22 mg/100g respectively, whereas the highest limits were for aspartic acid, 0.81 and 2.46 mg/100g. Based on these results, the method is suitable for determination of these substances in the cheeses studied.