HPLC determination of γ-aminobutyric acid in Chinese rice wine using pre-column derivatization

gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a major functional ingredient in Chinese rice wine. A new HPLC method for determining GABA using pre-column derivatization with dansyl chloride was developed. The HPLC operating conditions were as follows: a Hypersil ODS2 C-18 column; mobile phase, methanol and water (1:1); gradient elution; absorption at 254nm; flow rate, 1mL/min; pH9; and column temperature, 30 degrees C. Under optimal HPLC conditions, the linear equation was y=3.5x10(-7)x-0.014. The precision (relative standard deviation, RSD) was 0.54%, the stability (RSD) was 0.21%, the recovery ratio was 97.4% and reproducibility (RSD) was 1.57%. This new method appears to be sensitive, accurate, convenient, steady and relatively fast. The results suggest that the new method is also more reliable. Copyright (c) 2015 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling