Characterization and Quantitation of Capsaicinoids and Related Pungent Agents in Chili Peppers and Hot Sauces by LC/MS/MS

摘要

Capsaicin is an amide derived from vanillylamine and a fatty acid and are responsible for the pungency of chili peppers. These compounds were extracted from chili peppers and hot sauces and analyzed by a triple quadruple MS system. The MS/MS spectrum of capsaicin indicated a major fragment at 136.9 m/z. using this fragment in the precursor-scan mode; five capsaicin related compounds were identified in chili extract and hot sauces. In order of elution in the chromatograms these compounds are: (1) Nordihydrocapsaicin 294.2 m/z, (2) Capsaicin, 306.2 m/z, (3,4) Dihydrocapsaicin 308.2 m/z (appearing as two peaks) and (5) Homodihydrocapsaicin 322.2 m/z. Several other isobaric species eluting much earlier were precluded after comparison of their MS/MS spectra. Capsaicin had the highest concentration of all species in various matrices followed by dihydrocapsaicin. The Cayenne hot sauce and Thai chili pepper contain the largest precursor concentration of nordihydrocapsaicin. The precursor scan of chili pepper hot sauces are shown in figure 1 below.