HPLC Determination of Carminic Acid in Pork Jerky

A method of HPLC for the determination of carminic acid in pork jerky was proposed. The sample was extracted with 2 mol·L-1 HCl solution, and centrifuged after adding 15 mL of methanol. The supernatant was purified on SPE column, and the eluate was separated by using C18 chromatographic column as stationary phase, and a mixture of acetonitile and 0.5% (φ) H3PO4 solution (80+20) as mobile phase. UV-detection at 275 nm was adopted in the determination. Linear relationship between values of peak area and mass concentration of carminic acid was kept in the range of 0.5-50 mg·L-1, with detection limit (3S/N) of 0.15 mg·kg-1. On the base of pork jerky sample, test for recovery was made by standard addition method, values of recovery found were in the range of 89.0%-97.8%, with RSD′s (n=6) in the range of 2.4%-3.9%.