Rapid Quantification of Trigonelline in Honey Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry.

RATIONALE: Trigonelline is an alkaloid with various pharmacological properties and may serve as a distinguishing marker between rape honey and other types of honey. Therefore, rapid, high-throughput methods for its quantification are needed to authenticate honey, as described in this study. METHODS: Honey samples were diluted and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) using a stable isotope-labeled internal standard without chromatography. The method was validated through application to various types of honey samples. Precision, expressed as relative standard deviation, ranged from 0.5% to 12.7%, and recoveries were satisfactory, ranging from 98.6% to 118.3%. Crucially, the quantitation correlated well with conventional high-performance liquid chromatography, while reducing the analysis time to less than 2 min per sample. CONCLUSIONS: A rapid, high-throughput MALDI-MS method for detecting trigonelline in honey was developed and validated. Its speed and sensitivity make it well-suited for routine honey varietal identification and quality screening.