Rapid and sensitive UHPLC screening of food dyes in carbonated beverages using UV/Vis wavelength switching

The analysis of food dyes in carbonated beverages is important as many of these dyes are either controlled substances or are being phased out in certain countries due to their reported adverse health effects. Being able to identify and quantify food dyes in beverages quickly and with high sensitivity is therefore important.

This application demonstrates the following:
• The capability of the Hypersil GOLD VANQUISH C18 column and Vanquish Flex Binary UHPLC system combination for the rapid separation of dyes in carbonated beverages with excellent linearity, reproducibility, and recoveries.
• The capability of the Vanquish Flex Binary UHPLC system to provide excellent retention time precision through new pump features.
• The use of wavelength switching on the Vanquish Flex Binary UHPLC system enhances method sensitivity by up to an order of magnitude.