Non-targeted screening of maple syrup based on LC-HRMS and FTIR: a proof-of-concept

该公司的合作伙伴，在这个参与赠款，Citadelle，是魁北克的糖枫种植者和枫糖浆生产商积极在枫糖浆和枫产品的制造，加工和营销最大的合作社。枫糖浆是通过加热蒸发从枫树（糖槭）收集的汁液生产的。虽然枫糖浆现在全球闻名，但其化学成分尚未得到全面描述。目前，其质量缺陷可以通过专家小组品尝或使用间接光谱工具来确定。然而，迄今为止，还没有研究全面确定枫糖浆质量缺陷的分子。Citadelle决定与研究人员采取积极措施，以确定与枫糖浆味道缺陷和掺假相关的标记分子。这项研究将使他们能够设计未来的工具来监测枫树产品的质量。这第一个任务，即检测和识别“未知”异味化学品，依赖于称为非靶向分析的非常规方法。这项参与补助金申请旨在建立Citadelle和申请人麦吉尔大学Bayen博士之间的合作。该项目的目标是：（i）开发一种使用HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS建立化学特征的方法（ii）建立一系列具有或不具有味道缺陷或掺有不同类型的掺假物的枫糖浆样品的化学谱，并识别潜在的标记物以追踪味道缺陷或掺假，和（iii）测试ATR-FTIR靶向枫糖浆中特定分子的能力。成功完成本申请中所述的概念验证项目将为申请人与Citadelle之间进一步合作奠定基础，以确定其他缺陷的标志物，并开发枫糖浆质量监测原型。

The company partner in this Engage Grant, Citadelle, is Quebec's largest cooperative of sugar maple growers and maple syrup producers active in maple syrup and maple product manufacturing, processing, and marketing. Maple syrup is produced by heat evaporation of sap collected from maple trees (Acer saccharum). While maple syrup is globally famous nowadays, its chemical composition has not been comprehensively described. Currently, defects in its quality may be identified through expert panel tasting or using indirect spectroscopy tools. To date though, no study has comprehensively identified the molecules responsible for quality defects in maple syrup. Citadelle has decided to take a proactive step with researchers to identify marker molecules associated with maple syrup taste defects and adulteration. This research would allow them to design future tools to monitor the quality of maple products. This first task, i.e. the detection and identification of "unknown" off-flavor chemicals, rely on a non-routine approach called non-targeted analysis. This Engage Grant application seeks to establish a collaboration between Citadelle and the applicant, Dr Bayen at McGill University. The objectives of this project are: (i) develop a method using HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS to establish the chemical profile (minor components) of maple syrup, (ii) establish the chemical profiles of a range of maple syrup samples with or without taste defects, or spiked with different types of adulterants, and identify potential markers to trace taste defects or adulteration, and (iii) test the capacity of ATR-FTIR to target specific molecules in maple syrup. Successful completion of the proof-of-concept project described in this application will lay the foundation for further collaboration between the applicant and Citadelle on the identification of markers for other defects and on the development of a prototype for quality monitoring for maple syrup.