Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Determination of melatonin in bakery products using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Chemical Papers Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine), the hormonal product of the pineal gland, has recently been reported as a multifaceted free radical scavenger and antioxidant. Melatonin production declines progressively with age. Therefore, supplemental administration or increased intake of melatonin from dietary sources may be beneficial in delaying age-related degenerative conditions. This study aimed to determine melatonin in commonly eaten bakery products based on wheat, rye or spelt flour formulations, which represented the most popular types of bread and roll in Europe. Melatonin was extracted from freeze-dried bread samples with methanol and its content was determined by micro-HPLC system coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) of target analysis. Melatonin was identified in all types of bread and rolls, however, its content varied significantly, ranging from 0.26 ng/g to 3.21 ng/g of dry matter (DM). The best source of melatonin was mixed wheat-rye bread (average 3.02 ng/g DM) followed by rye bread (average 2.50 ng/g DM), whereas spelt bread, wheat and graham rolls were poor sources (below 0.54 ng/g DM). These findings may help consumers to select bread with high melatonin content. This study showed that micro-HPLC system coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry can be successfully applied for the determination of melatonin in bakery products. Because of the relevance of melatonin as bioactive molecule with implications for food, nutritional sciences and human health, it was of interest to explore its levels in commonly daily taken bakery products.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agil A, Navarro-Alarcon M, Ruiz R, Abuhamadah S, El-Mir M, Vázquez S (2011) Beneficial effects of melatonin on obesity and lipid profile in young Zucker diabetic fatty rats. J Pineal Res 50:207–212. doi:10.1111/j.1600-079X.2010.00830.x

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arnao MB, Hernández-Ruiz J (2006) The physiological function of melatonin in plants. Plant Signal Beh 1:89–95. doi:10.1111/jpi.12253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boccalandro HE, Gonzalez CV, Wunderlin DA, Silva MF (2011) Melatonin levels, determined by LC-ESI-MS/MS, fluctuate during the day/night cycle in Vitis vinifera cv Malbec: evidence of its antioxidant role in fruits. J Pineal Res 51:226–232. doi:10.1111/j.1600-079X.2011.00884.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bonnefont-Rousselot D, Collin F (2010) Melatonin: action as antioxidant and potential applications in human disease and aging. Toxicology 278:55–67. doi:10.1016/j.tox.2010.04.008

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burkhardt S, Tan DX, Manchester LC, Hardeland R, Reiter RJ (2001) Detection and quantification of the antioxidant melatonin in montmorency and balaton tart cherries (Prunus cerasus). J Agric Food Chem 49(10):4898–4902. doi:10.1021/jf010321+

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen G, Huo Y, Tan D-X, Liang Z, Zhang W, Zhang Y (2003) Melatonin in Chinese medicinal herbs. Life Sci 73:19–26. doi:10.1016/S0024-3205(03)00252-2

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dewettinck K, van Bockstaele F, Kühne B, van de Walle D, Courtens TM, Gellynck X (2008) Nutritional value of bread: influence of processing, food interaction and consumer perception. J Cereal Sci 48:243–257. doi:10.1016/j.jcs.2008.01.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) (2010) Scientific opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to melatonin and alleviation of subjective feelings of jet lag (ID-1953), and reduction of sleep onset latency, and improvement sleep quality (ID-1953) pursuant to Article 13 (1) of Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006. EFSA J 8(2):1467–1478. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia-Moreno H, Calvo JR, Maldonado MD (2013) High levels of melatonin generated during the brewing process. J Pineal Res 55:26–30. doi:10.1111/jpi.12005

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia-Parrilla MC, Cantos E, Troncoso AM (2009) Analysis of melatonin in foods. J Food Compos Anal 22:177–183. doi:10.1016/j.jfca.2008.09.009

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gomez F, Hernandez I, Martinez L, Silva M, Cerutti S (2013) Analytical tools for elucidating the biological role of melatonin in plants by LC–MS/MS. Electrophoresis 34:1749–1756. doi:10.1002/elps.201200569

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hernández-Ruiz J, Cano A, Arnao MB (2005) Melatonin acts as a growth-stimulating compound in some monocot species. J Pineal Res 2005(39):137–142. doi:10.1111/j.1600-079X.2005.00226.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iriti M, Varoni EM (2015) Is There any relationship between the type of alcoholic beverage and oral cancer? Focus on red wine in an European perspective. Pol J Food Nutr Sci 2015(65):5–7

    Google Scholar 

  • Johns NP, Johns J, Porasuphatana S, Plaimee P, Sae-Teaw M (2013) Dietary intake of melatonin from tropical fruit altered urinary excretion of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin in healthy volunteers. J Agric Food Chem 61:913–919. doi:10.1021/jf300359a

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kocadağlı T, Yılmaz C, Gökmen V (2014) Determination of melatonin and its isomer in foods by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Food Chem 153:151–156. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.12.036

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maldonado M, Moreno H, Calvo J (2009) Melatonin present in beer contributes to increase the levels of melatonin and antioxidant capacity of the human serum. Clin Nutr 28:188–191. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2009.02.001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Michalska A, Ceglińska A, Amarowicz R, Piskuła MK, Szarawa-Nowak D, Zieliński H (2007) The antioxidant contents and antioxidative properties of traditional rye breads. J Agric Food Chem 55:734–740. doi:10.1021/jf062425w

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pandi-Perumal SR, Trakht I, Srinivasan V, Spence DW, Maestroni GJM, Zisapel N, Cardinali DP (2008) Physiological effects of melatonin: role of melatonin receptors and signal transduction pathways. Prog Neurobiol 85:335–353. doi:10.1016/j.pneurobio.2008.04.001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ramakrishna A, Giridhar P, Sankar KU, Ravishankar GA (2012) Endogenous profiles of indoleamines: serotonin and melatonin in different tissues of Coffea canephora P ex Fr. as analyzed by HPLC and LC–MS–ESI. Acta Physiol Plant 34:393–396. doi:10.1007/s11738-011-0829-2

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reiter R, Manchester L, Dun-Xian Tan M (2005) Melatonin in walnuts: influence on levels of melatonin and total antioxidant capacity of blood. Nutrition 21:920–924. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2005.02.005

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Riga P, Medina S, García-Flores LA, Gil-Izquierdo A (2014) Melatonin content of pepper and tomato fruits: effects of cultivar and solar radiation. Food Chem 156:347–352. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.01.117

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez-Naranjo MI, Gil-Izquierdo A, Troncoso AM, Cantos-Villar E, Garcia-Parrilla MC (2011) Melatonin is synthesised by yeast during alcoholic fermentation in wine. Food Chem 126:1608–1613. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2010.12.038

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stehle JH, Saade A, Rawashdeh O, Ackermann K, Jilg A, Sebestény T, Maronde E (2011) A survey of molecular details in the human pineal gland in the light of phylogeny, structure, function and chronobiological diseases. J Pineal Res 51:17–43. doi:10.1111/j.1600-079X.2011.00856.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stürtz M, Cerezo AB, Cantos-Villar E, Garcia-Parrilla MC (2011) Determination of the melatonin content of different varieties of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) and strawberries (Fragaria ananassa). Food Chem 127:1329–1334. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.01.093

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tan DX, Hardeland R, Manchester LC, Rosales-Corral S, Coto-Montes A, Boga JA et al (2012) Emergence of naturally occurring melatonin isomers and their proposed nomenclature. J Pineal Res 53(2):113–121. doi:10.1111/j.1600-079X.2012.00979.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yılmaz C, Kocadağlı T, Gökmen V (2014) Formation of melatonin and its isomer during bread dough fermentation and effect of baking. J Agric Food Chem 62:2900–2905. doi:10.1021/jf500294b

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zieliński H, Lewczuk B, Kozłowska H (2000) Melatonin in cereal grains as a potential cancer prevention agent. In: Johnson IT, Fenwick GR (eds) Dietary Anticarcinogens and Antimutagens. Chemical and Biological Aspects. The Royal Society of Chemistry, Athenaeum Press Ltd, Gateshead, pp 266–273

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Zieliński H, Kozłowska H, Lewczuk B (2001a) Bioactive compounds in the cereal grains before and after hydrothermal processing. Innovative Food Sciences and Emerging Technologies 2(3):159–169. doi:10.1016/S1466-8564(01)00040-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zieliński H, Lewczuk B, Przybylska-Gornowicz B, Kozłowska H (2001b) Melatonin in seeds as a significant agent for health. In: Pfannhauser W, Fenwick GR, Khokhar S (eds) Biologically-Active Phytochemicals in Food. Analysis, Metabolism, Bioavailability and Function. Cambridge, The Royal Society of Chemistry, Thomas Graham House, pp 110–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Zieliński H, Ceglińska A, Michalska A (2008a) Bioactive compounds in spelt bread. Eur Food Res Technol 226(3):537–544. doi:10.1007/s00217-007-0568-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zieliński H, Michalska A, Ceglińska A, Lamparski G (2008b) Antioxidant properties and sensory quality of traditional rye bread as affected by the incorporation of flour with different extraction rates in the formulation. Eur Food Res Technol 226:671–680. doi:10.1007/s00217-007-0576-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Project No. POKL.08.02.01-28-010/13 from European Union within the European Social Fund.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Food Science, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima 10, P.O. Box 55, 10-748, Olsztyn 5, Poland

    Henryk Zieliński, Dorota Szawara-Nowak & Wiesław Wiczkowski

Authors
  1. Henryk Zieliński
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dorota Szawara-Nowak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wiesław Wiczkowski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Henryk Zieliński.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethical approval

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Informed consent

Informed consent is not applicable for the nature of this study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zieliński, H., Szawara-Nowak, D. & Wiczkowski, W. Determination of melatonin in bakery products using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Chem. Pap. 71, 1083–1089 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-016-0029-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-016-0029-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation