Brendon Gill

Nucleosides and nucleotides are a group of structurally related bioactive components present that exhibit a diverse range of nutritional benefits to infants. The nucleotide content in milk and the health benefits these impart have been fertile topics of research in recent years. Due to the role nucleotides play in metabolism, and in order to resemble more closely the nucleotide profile of human milk, infant formula has been routinely supplemented with nucleotides. There is a distinct need for an accurate and precise rapid, analytical method for the routine product compliance analysis of nucleotides in a wide range of infant formula. The development of an analytical method to measure total potentially available nucleotide has been an important contribution to further understanding the distribution of nucleosides and nucleotides, which has important implications for infant nutrition.

Relevant publications:

Development and application of an HPLC method for analysis of nucleotides and nucleosides in milk and infant formulas Determination of nucleotides and nucleosides in milks and pediatric formulas: a review An HPLC method for routine analysis of nucleotides in pediatric formulas Determination of total potentially available nucleosides in bovine milk Analysis of nucleotides in infant formula formula by HPLC: First Action 2011.20 Determination of total potentially available nucleosides in bovine, caprine, and ovine milk Analysis of nucleotides and nucleosides in infant formula by LC-MS. Analysis of nucleotides in infant formulas by HPLC-UV: collaborative study

B‑vitamins are a class of water-soluble vitamins that play critical roles in cellular metabolism. Each B vitamin is either a co‑factor (generally a co‑enzyme) for key metabolic processes or is a precursor needed to make one. Though grouped together and share similar names, B-group vitamins are chemically distinct compounds that found together in many foods including dairy. For this reason these analytes are often analysed together.

Relevant publications:

Biotin content of paediatric formulae, early lactation milk and seasonal bovine milk powders by biosensor immunoassay A rapid method for the determination of biotin and folic acid in dairy products by LC‑MS/MS The analysis of vitamin B12 in milk and infant formula: a review Rapid method for the determination of vitamins B1 and B5 in milk-based nutritional products by LC‑MS/MS

Vitamin D as ergocalciferol (D₂) and cholecalciferol (D₃), is a secosterol that plays a major role in bone health. Both forms are available through the diet, and vitamin D3 is also formed in the skin via irradiation of 7‑dehydrocholesterol to previtamin D3 with subsequent thermal isomerisation. In general, humans derive the majority of their vitamin D requirement from the latter route, as unsupplemented foods contain only modest levels. The main biological function of vitamin D is controlling the absorption, transport, and deposition of calcium and phosphorus as part of bone mineralisation. In addition to rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased rates of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The accurate analysis of vitamin D₃ in foods is challenging; aside from irreversible loss of vitamin D₃ through oxidative degradation, the reversible isomerisation of vitamin D₃ to previtamin D₃ is thermally induced, changing the relative proportion of each until equilibrium is reached.

Check my publications:

A rapid method for the determination of vitamin D₃ in milk and infant formula by LC‑MS Analysis of vitamin D₂ and D₃ in infant formula and nutritional powders by LC‑MS: First Action 2016.05 The determination of vitamin D₃ and 25‑hydroxyvitamin D₃ in early lactation and seasonal bovine milk Analysis of vitamin D in infant formula and nutritional powders by LC‑MS: Single Laboratory Validation; First Action 2016.05 Analysis of Vitamin D₂ and D₃ in infant formula and nutritional powders by LC‑MS: a multilaboratory testing study Significance of previtamin D chromatographic resolution in the accurate determination of vitamin‑D3 by LC‑UV Differential thermal isomerization: its role in the analysis of vitamin D₃ in foods Assessment of Regulatory Compliance Testing for Vitamin D in Infant Formula—Impact of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/828

The choice of method for a specific component of a food sample is often made easier by use of standard reference methods. These methods provide accurate numerical values of the analyte being measured, with the accuracy being rigorously demonstrated by a variety of statistical techniques. The requirement of demonstrated accuracy is of major importance if a method is to act as the definitive technique upon which reference materials and other methods are compared. Creating new reference methods that are valid and have international acceptance requires many experienced analysts working collaboratively to provide an independant and thorough assessment of method performance charactristics before making a judgement of its sutiability for use as the bench-mark for adoption by the scientific community.

Check my publications:

Evaluation protocol for the review of method validation data by the SPIFAN Expert Review Panel Nucleotides in infant formula and adult/pediatric nutritional formula: AOAC Official Method 2011.20 Infant formula--determination of nucleotides by LC‑UV: ISO Standard 20638:2015 Vitamin D₂ and D₃ in fortified milk powders and infant and nutritional formulas: AOAC Official Method 2016.05 Infant formula and adult nutritionals--determination of vitamin D by LC‑MS: ISO Standard 20636:2018 Analysis of Bovine Lactoferrin in Infant Formula and Adult Nutritional Products by Optical Biosensor Immunoassay: First Action 2021.07

LC‑MS an analytical chemistry technique that combines the physical separation capabilities of liquid chromatography based on their physical and chemical properties, with the mass analysis capabilities of mass spectrometry. Rapid developments in LC‑MS/MS have created wide interest in applications for the analysis of small molecule mixtures and since MS/MS spectra can contain rich structural information allowing identification and quantitation of a diverse range of small molecules.

Relevant publications:

Analysis of nucleotides and nucleosides in infant formula by LC‑MS. A rapid method for the determination of vitamin D₃ in milk and infant formula by LC‑MS Analysis of vitamin D₂ and D₃ in infant and nutritional formulas by LC‑MS: First Action 2016.05 The determination of vitamin D₃ and 25‑hydroxyvitamin D₃ in early lactation and seasonal bovine milk Analysis of vitamin D₂ and D₃ in infant and nutritional formulas by LC‑MS: Single-Laboratory Validation, First Action 2016.05 Analysis of vitamin D₂ and D₃ in infant and adult nutritional formulas by LC‑MS: a multi-laboratory testing study A rapid method for the determination of biotin and folic acid in infant formula, and nutritional products by LC‑MS A rapid method for the determination of thiamine and pantothenic acid in infant formula by LC‑MS/MS Advances in instrumental analysis of dairy products. In Understanding and improving the functional and nutritional properties of milk

α‑Tocopherol can exist as eight possible stereoisomers due to the presence of three chiral carbons. Regulations and industry guidelines necessitate that dietary vitamin E intakes be based on the vitamin E activity of RRR‑tocopherol. Food products fortified with synthetic all‑rac‑α‑tocopherol or all‑rac‑α‑tocopheryl acetate during manufacturing will require chiral separation of the α‑tocopherol stereoisomers for accurate estimation of vitamin E activity.

Check my publications:

Separation of all‑rac‑α‑tocopherol by chiral chromatography Analysis of α‑tocopherol stereoisomers in fortified infant formula by chiral chromatography

Bovine milk contains approximately 3.4% protein made up of two main types: casein (80%) and whey protein (20%). Caseins are proteins that become coagulated and precipitated from skim milk when the pH of milk is adjusted to pH 4.6. Whey proteins remain soluble at pH 4.6 and includes β-lactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, bovine serum albumin, immunoglobulin, and lactoferrin.

Relevant publications:

An optical biosensor-based immunoassay for the determination of bovine serum albumin in milk and milk products The β‑lactoglobulin content of bovine milk: development and application of a biosensor immunoassay The determination of intact β‑casein in milk products by biosensor immunoassay Analysis of Bovine Lactoferrin in Infant Formula and Adult Nutritional Products by Optical Biosensor Immunoassay: First Action 2021.07

Pseudovitamin is a unofficial term used to refer to any molecule that is not an essential vitamin or mineral yet is similarly vital in the body. Unlike the essential nutrients, deficiencies do not result in disease states. Some pseudovitamins are considered conditionally essential nutrients as they are ordinarily produced by the body in amounts sufficient to meet its physiological requirements, however under physiologically stressful conditions, their biosynthesis may be inadequate. There is a need for an accurate, precise, and rapid methods for the analysis of pseudo-vitamins in nutrional products. These methods can be used for routine analysis of nutritional products and also to study their levels in bovine milk across a production season.

Relevant publications:

The free and total myo‑inositol contents of early lactation and seasonal bovine milk Comparison of LC‑MS/MS and enzymatic methods for the determination of choline and carnitine in dairy products