To establish a method for the determination of abietic acid, dehydroabietic acid and piperic acid content in food by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

By optimizing the mass spectrometry analysis conditions, the sample was extracted using acetonitrile as the extraction solvent and subjected to ultrasonic extraction, enriched and purified by a mixed strong anion exchange reverse phase solid-phase extraction column, concentrated to near dryness by nitrogen blowing, diluted with methanol and centrifuged at high speed. The solution was then analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer.

The peak shapes of 3 kinds of compounds were good, and the separation and response met the detection requirements. The linear range of abietic acid was 4–500 ng/mL, with a limit of detection of 1.0 μg/kg and a limit of quantitation of 3.0 μg/kg. The linear range of dehydroabietic acid was 20–2500 ng/mL, with a limit of detection of 2.5 μg/kg and a limit of quantitation of 7.5 μg/kg. The linear range of piperic acid was 4–500 ng/mL, with a limit of detection of 0.5 μg/kg and a limit of quantitation of 1.5 μg/kg. Within the range of 5–40 μg/kg of abietic acid and piperic acid and 15–100 μg/kg of dehydroabietic acid, the recovery rates of abietic acid, dehydroabietic acid and piperic acid were 84.9%–99.7%, 84.7%–101.9% and 88.1%–104.7%, respectively, with relative standard deviations within 10%. The method was used for actual sample analysis, detecting abiietic acid, dehydroabietic acid and piperic acid in multiple foods.

This method is sensitive, accurate, and can simultaneously determine abietic acid, dehydroabietic acid and piperic acid. It lays the foundation for developing specific migration limit standards for rosin like substances in paper packaged foods.