Simultaneous detection of multiple phenolic compounds in shrimps through gas chromatography–mass spectrometry coupled with a modified QuEChERS

Owing to the difficult degradation of phenolic compounds, the existence of phenolic compound residues accumulated through the food chain in crustaceans and their effects on human health have garnered considerable and more attention. However, the current detection methods for phenolic compounds are not only complex and time-consuming but can also detect fewer types of phenols simultaneously. Thus, a simple, high-throughput method without derivatization for the determination of 18 phenolic compounds in crustaceans was developed using a modified QuEChERS sample preparation method combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results indicated that the average recovery of the 18 phenolic compounds was 80.2–106.5% at three spiked levels, and the relative standard deviation was 2.6–12.4%. The limits of detection and quantitation were 0.001–0.014 and 0.003–0.042 mg/kg, respectively. Good linear relationships were observed for the phenolic compounds in their corresponding concentration ranges ( R 2  > 0.999). The applicability of the method was assessed by analyzing 16 actual shrimp samples, among which five samples contained residues ranging from 0.013 to 0.042 mg/kg. Moreover, the establishment of this method has important theoretical and practical significance for the determination and control of the residue levels of phenolic compounds in crustaceans. In addition, it can provide a reference for the development of similar detection standard methods in the future.