DETERMINATION OF BENZOIC AND SORBIC ACID IN TURKISH FOOD USING HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY

ABSTRACT Benzoic and sorbic acid levels in different brands of jam, candied chestnut, carbonated drink, pickle, black table olive, green table olive, wholemeal/brown bread and white bread, which are available on the Turkish market, were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (235–254 nm). Chromatographic separation was achieved with a C18 column and acetate buffer (pH 4.74)–methanol mixture (70:30) as a mobile phase. The levels of benzoic and sorbic acid in the analyzed samples were in the range of not detected to 662 mg/kg or L, and not detected to 432 mg/kg or L, respectively. Only one sample (jam) presented a preservative although not permitted by the legislation enforced in Turkey. The levels of preservative in the other samples were determined in legal limitations. According to the results, the utilization of benzoic and sorbic acid is lower than the certain legal limitations permitted by legislation to be used. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The amount of the sorbic and benzoic acid used as preservatives during food processing is important for consumer health. Determination of the amounts of the preservatives mentioned above will be possible in a short period of time (11 min) with the methods used in this study (high-performance liquid chromatography). According to the results obtained from study and data about food consumption, daily intake amount of these preservatives (benzoic and sorbic acid) will be able to be defined in Turkey, separately.