A novel ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the simultaneous quantification of 50 multiclass food additives—including both permitted and non-permitted preservatives, synthetic colorants, and sweeteners—in beverages and candies. This high-throughput platform integrates a simplified dilute-and-shoot extraction protocol—enabling rapid, cost-effective sample preparation without cleanup steps—with full regulator-grade validation and quantitative environmental sustainability assessment. Validation, performed in accordance with SANTE/11312/2021 guidelines, confirmed high specificity, sensitivity, linearity, recovery, matrix effect, precision, and robustness. The total run time of the method was 13 min, supporting efficient routine monitoring workflows. Sustainability was quantitatively evaluated using the AGREE tool, demonstrating strong compliance with green analytical chemistry principles. Successful application to 95 commercial food samples confirmed regulatory compliance and real-world analytical reliability in aqueous and high-sugar food matrices. • High-throughput UPLC-MS/MS was developed for multiclass 50 additive analysis. • DnS minimized matrix effects and preparation steps in beverages and candies. • Validation showed strong performance across beverages and candies. • Greenness assessed using AGREE aligned with green analytical chemistry principles. • Applied to 95 commercial foods for practical food safety surveillance.
Yun et al. (Sun,) studied this question.