Composition of distilled Perique tobacco liqueur: a connoisseur's spirit or a health risk due to nicotine?

The use of tobacco leaves as a food ingredient has been controversially discussed, and alcoholic beverages containing distillates from fermented tobacco leaves can be found as niche products. Currently there is an absence of knowledge regarding the composition and toxicity of these products. One liqueur sample based on distilled Louisiana Perique tobacco was analysed using quantitative FTIR, GC-FID, LC/MS/MS and GC/MS/MS methodologies, and qualitatively using non-targeted NMR and GC/MS techniques.

Determination of 2-methylimidazole, 4-methylimidazole and 2-acetyl-4-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydroxybutyl)imidazole in caramel colours and cola using LC/MS/MS.

Substituted imidazoles recently came under scrutiny as they may be indirectly introduced into cola beverages via the use of class IV (E150d) caramel colours and may pose health hazards. A LC/MS/MS method was developed for determining 2- and 4-methylimidazole (2-MI, 4-MI) and 2-acetyl-4-(1,2,3,4)-tetrahydroxybutylimidazole (THI) in beverages and caramel colours. The method is very rapid and easy to conduct as it requires only dilution in eluent for sample preparation.