Reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic determination of vitamin E components in maize kernels

Abstract

Maize lines differ greatly in their composition and total seed content of tocopherols and carotenoids. When HPLC is employed for the determination of tocopherols, the carotenoids present in some of the extracts may not always be fully separated. It is observed that although tocopherols and carotenoids differ greatly in their UV-visible spectra, the absorbance of certain carotenoids might adversely affect the tocopherol determinations. A reversed-phase HPLC system has been developed that effectively separates α-, δ- and γ-tocopherol and avoids interference caused by the carotenoids present. The method is based on the utilisation of a low level of methanol in an acetonitrile:dichloromethane gradient in the presence of triethylamine. This method provides a reliable and accurate procedure for the determination of tocopherols in maize kernels. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.