METHOD DEVELOPMENT AND DETERMINATION OF PROPIONIC ACID IN FOODS IN HUE CITY
Background: Propionic acid (PRO) is increasingly being used as a food preservative on markets, today. However, excessive use of this chemical will harm the health of consumers. Objectives: (1) To develope an HPLC method for quantification of PRO in foods and (2) To determinate PRO content in some foods in Hue city. Materials and methods: Breads, cakes, noodles in Hue city. After attaining the optimal process, the method was validated and applied to assess the content of PRO in these materials. Results: The method was validated parameters including: system suitability, specificity, linearity, precision and accuracy. Conclusions: The method development canbe aplied to determine PRO in some foods. PRO contents (using as a preservative) in all foods surveyed in Hue city were under the permitted level of PRO in foods according to Ministry of Health (Vietnam). Key words: propionic acid, food samples, HPLC, content, derivatization