Application Note

Analysis of Amino Acids and Taurine in Pet Food Using the Hitachi
Amino Acid Analyzer
Results—Chromatography: A) 100 µM std., B) Cat Food

P et food is formulated to contain amino

80

Lys
acids and other nutrients required for a well- 70 A
balanced diet. In cat food, this formulation

Val
Thr
Ser
Asp
includes taurine, a small molecule that is an 60

Glu

Met
essential nutrient for cats, and the amino

His
Tau
acids found in proteins. Presented here is the 50

Phe
Gly
analysis of amino acids and taurine in cat

Cys
40
food. First, the cat food is ground to a powder

Ala

Arg
mV

Ile

Tyr
Leu
form, hydrolyzed with a CEM microwave 30
hydrolysis system, and then analyzed with

NH3
the Hitachi Amino Acid Analyzer. 20

10

Experimental Conditions—Sample
Preparation 0

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30
1) Grind dry pet food into powder Minutes
30

2) Add sample and 5 mL 6 N HCl to B

Glu

25
hydrolysis tube
3) Hydrolyze sample in CEM Discover SP 20

system at 175 °C and 300 W for 15 min.

Asp

Gly

15
4) Dilute aliquot of sample 1:100 with
mV

distilled water

NH3
Ser

10

Lys
Ala

Leu
Val

5) Centrifuge at 10,000 g for 10 min.

Thr

Phe

Arg
5

His
Ile

6) Filter through 0.2 µm syringe filter

Met

Tyr
Tau

Cys

7) Transfer to HPLC vial

-5
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30
Minutes

Experimental Conditions— Results—Linearity (6.25 µM – 100 µM)

Chromatography Range R2 = 0.9978-0.9999
Instrument L-8900 (Amino Acid Average R2= 0.9996
Analyzer)
Separation Column #2622PH,
4.6 x 60 mm Discussion
Hitachi’s Amino Acid Analyzer is extremely effective at analysis of
Ammonia Trap #2650L,
the amino acid and taurine content of pet food in under 30 minutes.
Column 4.6 x 40 mm
Mobile Phase L-8500 Buffer Kit
Hitachi High Technologies America, Inc.
Life Sciences Division
Detector VIS, 570 nm, 440 nm 1375 North 28th Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75261
Toll Free: (800) 548-9001
Email: Sales-LS@hitachi-hta.com Website: www.hitachi-hta.com

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