Simultaneous determination of synthetic food additives in kimchi by liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

A new analytical method was developed for the simultaneous determination of seven food additives (Ponceau 4R, Allura Red AC, Amaranth, 4-hydroxymethyl benzoic acid, ethyl-4-hydroxybenzoate, butyl-4-hydroxybenzoate, and saccharin sodium) in kimchi using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The linearity, sensitivity, selectivity, precision, and accuracy of the method were validated. The limit of detection was 0.00004–0.24 μg/mL, and the limit of quantification was 0.00012–0.8 μg/mL. Recoveries ranged from 85.65 to 120.82%. The method was successful and may help to ensure food safety.