Identification of Soybean Origin via TAGs Profile Analysis Using MALDI-TOF/MS

Soybeans have the characteristics of balanced amino acid species and high nutritional value and served as the main oil crop in the world. In order to investigate the potential of triacylglycerols (TAGs) for tracing geographic origin of imported soybeans in China, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) was used to profile TAGs in soybean oils. Orthogonal partial least-squares discrimination analysis(OPLS-DA) was applied to establish identification model based on the acquired MALDI-MS spectra to trace the soybean origin of four typical origins (Argentina, the USA, Brazil, and Canada). The models were verified through 40 samples of the test set, and the comprehensive identification accuracy rate of the OPLS-DA models reached 100%. The method and model in this study were accurate and reliable, and could accurately identify the geographic origin of soybean.