Multiclass determination of phytochemicals in vegetables and fruits by ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

•An UHPLC–MS/MS method was developed to quantify several families of phytochemicals.•Analysis of phytochemicals in broccoli, tomato, grape, carrot and eggplant.•Significant differences of phytochemicals between analysed samples were found. In this study a simultaneous determination of several classes of phytochemicals (isoflavones, glucosinolates, flavones, flavonols and phenolic acids) in tomato, broccoli, carrot, eggplant and grape has been carried out by ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS). Solid–liquid extraction assisted by rotary agitator was utilised, using a mixture of methanol:water (80:20, v/v) as solvent. The analytical procedure was validated in all the matrices, obtaining recoveries ranging from 60% to 120% with repeatability values (expressed as relative standard deviations, RSDs) lower than 25%. Limits of quantification (LOQs) were always equal or lower than 50μg/kg, except for some glucosinolates (125μg/kg). Finally the method was applied to different matrices such as tomato, broccoli, carrot, grape and eggplant, observing that chlorogenic acid was detected in most of the samples at higher concentrations in relation to the other compounds.