Abstract
Capsaicinoids, mostly from chili peppers, are widely used in daily life. Capsaicinoids are considered to be markers for the identification of illegal cooking oil (ICO), which is a serious threat to public health. The identification of capsaicinoids can help reveal food-related fraud, thereby safeguarding consumers' health. Here, a novel and ultrasensitive method was established with a signal amplification strategy for the detection of capsaicinoids. AuNPs@Fe(3)O(4) nanocomposites were functionalized with 4-aminothiophenol (4-atp). After diazotization, 4-atp on AuNPs@Fe(3)O(4) reacted with capsaicinoids and formed capsaicinoids-azo-atp-AuNPs@Fe(3)O(4). Ultimately, capsaicinoids-azo-atp-AuNPs@Fe(3)O(4) was dropped onto the surface of a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) and detected via the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method. AuNPs@Fe(3)O(4) nanocomposites increased the specific surface area of the electrode. Moreover, the diazotization-coupling reaction enriched the analytes on the electrode surface. Liquid-liquid extraction was used for sample pretreatment. Under a pH value of 9.0 and concentration of 0.20 mol/L for the supporting electrolyte, the linearity of capsaicinoids in ICO is from 0.10 to 10.00 ng/mL, and the limit of detection (S/N = 3) is 0.05 ng/mL. This method is ultra-sensitive, reliable, and cost-effective for the detection of capsaicinoids. Herein, this method provides a promising tool for the identification of ICO.