Multiresidue determination of alkylamines and alkylamides in meat by liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry and implications for food safety.

This study developed a rapid and reliable liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) method for the simultaneous determination of 8 alkylamines and 12 alkylamides in meat products. Sample preparation and instrumental conditions were optimized to achieve efficient extraction and accurate quantification. Meat samples were extracted with methanol-acetonitrile mixture (1:1, v/v) using vortex-ultrasonication for 15 min, followed by evaporation and reconstitution prior to analysis. The mobile phases were ultrapure water containing 0.1 % formic acid and acetonitrile, and a gradient elution program was employed. Mass spectrometric analysis was performed in positive electrospray ionization mode with full scan and data-dependent acquisition. Quantification was carried out using an internal standard method. The limits of quantification were 5 ng/g, and calibration curves showed good linearity. Recoveries ranged from 85.2 % to 103.0 % with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.3-8.0 %, and matrix effects ranged from 61.7 % to 109.6 % with RSDs of 0.2-10.3 %. The method was successfully applied to meat samples collected from local markets, with concentrations of individual alkylamines and alkylamides ranging from below the detection limit to 13,105.0 ng/g. Migration experiments indicated that alkylamines and alkylamides could transfer from plastic materials into meat, with migration extent increasing with the increase of contact time and temperature. Hydrophobic alkylamides migrated more rapidly in early stage, while some alkylamines continued to migrate at low temperatures, indicating that meat characteristics and contact conditions could significantly affect the migration. The developed method is suitable for the determination of alkylamines and alkylamides in meat products, and can provide a reference approach for assessing the potential migration and exposure risks of alkylamines and alkylamides.