Determination of Acrylamide in Commercial Baby Foods by LC-QqQ-MS/MS: a Simple Method for Routine Analyses

A method based on liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated for the analysis of acrylamide in baby foods. The sample preparation involves a simple extraction process using a mixture of acetonitrile:water:formic acid (69:30:1, v/v/v) in combination with dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) using alumina as sorbent. The method shown good linearity within the range 20–250 μg kg −1 through matrix-matched and solvent calibrations. The recovery rates for acrylamide ranged from 100 to 108% with coefficients of variation below 10%, under repeatability and reproducibility conditions (within-laboratory). The obtained limit of quantification (20 μg kg −1 ) complies with the values indicated by the European Union for acrylamide analysis in baby foods. The developed and validated method was applied to 50 ready-to-eat baby foods available in the Brazilian market. Acrylamide was detected in 13% of samples primarily composed of fruits, whereas it was found in approximately 37% of baby food containing meat and/or vegetables. Additionally, in 2 samples, the detected levels exceeded the benchmark value established by the EU (40 μg kg −1 ). The study showcases the applicability of this method for routine analysis of acrylamide detection.