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 KMnO4 in sulfuric acid medium at 80 degreesC enhanced by hexadecylpyridinium chloride (HD) and formic acid (HCOOH). The calibration graph is linear over the range 0.5-4.0 ml(-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). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.