抄録
This study validates an analytical method for quantifying canthaxanthin and β-apo-8'-carotenal, two carotenoid food additives that
were recently approved in Japan; however, an official method for quantifying the contents of these compounds in foods is lacking.
These compounds, which serve as food coloring agents with established Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs) of 0.025 and 0.05 mg/kg
body weight/day, respectively, require reliable analytical methods for regulatory compliance and safety monitoring. We modified a
method from the literature and evaluated its performance according to the Guidelines for Validation of Analytical Methods for Food
Additives in Foods. The proposed method demonstrated good sensitivity with a lower quantification limit of 0.1 μg/mL (0.001 g/kg
food content) and good linearity within the tested concentration range. Recovery tests on four food products yielded satisfactory
recovery rates, repeatability, and intra-laboratory precision, meeting all guideline criteria. The proposed technique provides a reliable
analytical method for determining canthaxanthin and β-apo-8'-carotenal content in tested food products. These results support the
potential applicability of this technique as an official quantification method for regulatory monitoring and food safety assurance.
