Scientific journal

Journal of Food and Nutrition Research
Online First Articles

Lage-Yusty, M. A. – Villar-Blanco, L. – López-Hernandez, J.
Evaluation of caffeine, vitamins and taurine in energy drinks


María Asunción Lage-Yusty, Department Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Bromatology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Campus Vida, University of Santiago de Compostela, Plaza Seminario den Estudios Gallegos s/n., 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain. E-mail: maria.lage.yusty@usc.es

Received 12 April 2018; 1st revised 24 September 2018; accepted 23 October 2018; published online 5 March 2019

Summary: In this work, a rapid and inexpensive method of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with photodiode array and fluorescence detection was developed to determine ascorbic acid, pyridoxine, thiamine, riboflavin and caffeine simultaneously in energy drinks, using spectrophotometric detection at different wavelengths in a relatively short time. Taurine determination was carried out by HPLC with ultraviolet-visible detector using pre?column derivatization with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene. Ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra were used to confirm the identity and purity of pyridoxine, caffeine and riboflavin. Limit of detection and limit of quantification ranged from 0.002 µg·ml-1 to 2.04 µg·ml-1 and from 0.008 µg·ml-1 to 2.12 µg·ml-1, respectively. Precision (relative standard deviation) was between 1.9 % and 7.8 %. In the energy drinks, caffeine concentration was found to be 252–304 mg·l-1, taurine 2180–2750 mg·l-1, pyridoxine 13.0–39.8 mg·l-1 and riboflavin from not detectable to 16 mg·l-1. Ascorbic acid and thiamin were not detected. Labelling of the beverages regarding vitamins, caffeine and taurine contents did not correspond to results of analysis of samples.

Keywords: energy drink; ascorbic acid; vitamins B; caffeine; taurine; high performance liquid chromatography

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