Three extraction methods and two detection techniques for determining pesti
cides in baby food were evaluated. The extraction techniques examined were
supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), enhanced solvent extraction (ESE), an
d solid phase extraction (SPE). The detection techniques used were enzyme-l
inked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
(GC/MS). Different SFE and ESE conditions were considered, and the resultin
g extracts were analyzed by either ELISA or GC/MS. The use of C-18 SPE cart
ridges to extract pesticides from baby food was also evaluated. Using SFE-E
LISA, recoveries of most spiked pesticides were less than 50% in both non-f
at and fatty baby food.
Using SFE-GC/MS, recoveries of target pesticides were greater than 80% in d
ried baby food, but 10-60% of the spiked pesticides were lost during the fr
eeze-drying process. Off-Line coupling of SPE-GC/MS provided a quantitative
measure (>80%) of the pesticides in non-fat baby food (fruits and vegetabl
es). Direct ELISA applied to diluted non-fat food also gave a quantitative
measure of the target pesticides. The ESE-ELISA method provided a quantitat
ive determination of atrazine in both non-fat and fatty baby food. (C) 1999
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