Abstract: An analytical method by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was developed for the simultaneous determination of the two types of nutrients, viz. gingerol-related compounds and curcuminoids in ginger, including 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol, 6-shogaol, 8-shogaol, 10-shogaol, tetrahydrocurcumin, curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. The 10 target compounds were separated on a ZORBAX RRHD Eclipse Plus C18 column (100 mm×2.1 mm, 1.8 μm) using gradient elution with 0.1% (v/v) formic acid aqueous solution and methanol containing 0.1% (v/v) formic acid as the mobile phases. Qualitative confirmation and quantitative analysis of the target compounds were performed using an electrospray ionization (ESI) source in the positive ion and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) modes. The linear correlation coefficients (r) of the 10 nutrients were ≥ 0.9995. The limits of quantification were 0.10-7.71 μg/L. The average spiked recoveries of the samples at the three levels were 82.8%-115.3%, the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 0.58%-11.49%. The results showed that all the 10 nutrients in ginger were detected, and the content of 6-gingerol was the highest at 373.35-702.48 mg/kg. This method is convenient, rapid, accurate and reliable, and is suitable for the analysis of gingerol-related and curcuminoids in ginger. It provides a technical means for the quality identification and control of ginger.

Key words: ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS), gingerol, shogaol, curcumin, nutrients, ginger