Analytical methods to determine volatile sulfur compounds in foods and beverages

Techniques to determine volatile sulfur compounds in foods including: distillation, co-distillation, SIDE, liquid-liquid extraction and sublimation are discussed in terms of efficiencies and potential artifact formation. Advantages, limitations and potential problems using SPME as well as purge, and trap concentration techniques are discussed. Sample-analyte dependent concentration techniques such as, adsorption on mercury based solid sorbents, metal foils, and impregnated filters are presented. Separation techniques including HPLC and GC are compared in terms of separation power, sample capacity and detector sensitivity. Limits of detection, sensitivity, selectivity and cost of flame photometric, chemilluminescence, atomic emission and pulsed flame photometric GC detectors are discussed. Advantages and limitations of isotope dilution analysis are presented.