Determination of the flavor enhancer maltol through a FIA — direct chemiluminescence procedure

A new FIA — direct chemiluminescence method is proposed for the determination of maltol, based upon the oxidation of the food additive by KMnO 4 in sulfuric acid medium at 80°C enhanced by hexadecylpyridinium chloride (HD) and formic acid (HCOOH). The calibration graph is linear over the range 0.5–4.0 mg l −1 of maltol, with a R.S.D. ( n=50, 0.5 mg l −1) of 2.9%, LOD ( s/ n=3) of 10 mg l −1 and sample throughput of 153 h −1.