GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF VEGETABLES FOR CHLOROFORM

A simple and sensitive method for the determination of chloroform in vegetables was established by using a gas chromatograph equipped with an electron capture detector. The proposed method includes solvent trapping of chloroform, and gas chromatographic separation with a detection system. The recoveries of added chloroform in various vegetable samples were 96.7 and 109.3%, within 8.6% of the coefficient variation. The detection limit is 1 µg/kg. The procedure can be used to determine chloroform at low levels in a variety of foods including mayonaise, fish, oil, and cream, as well as vegetables.