Streamlined and green chromatographic approach for the determination of oxygen heterocyclic compounds in foodstuffs via miniaturised extraction

A great number of plants, principally belonging to Apiaceae and Rutaceae families, contain oxygen heterocyclic compounds (OHCs), namely coumarins, furanocoumarins and polymethoxyflavones. Coumarin and its derivatives are widely exploited as therapeutic agents but also as flavouring agents in foods. Among all the OHCs, the content of coumarin is the only one strictly regulated in foods. The aim of this research was to investigate the amount of coumarin and other thirty-five OHCs in thirty foods flavoured with cinnamon, <i>Citrus</i> and carrot products to monitor the daily intake of OHCs by food. The primary objective of this study was to assess the potential for a greener approach to miniaturise the extraction procedure, thereby reducing the amount of solvents used and the time required. Liquid chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry detector was the approach of choice to determine the amount of OHCs in the samples of our interest.