Levels of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) in molasses used as iron deficiency anemia supplement retailed in Türkiye

Molasses is a dietary supplement used for iron deficiency anemia (IDA). However, during its production and storage, a toxic compound known as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is formed, which has been associated with carcinogenic, cytotoxic, and genotoxic effects on the human body. In this context, the following Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) extraction was developed using the high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method in molasses products. While this technique has been employed in previous studies to examine residues in various foods, no studies utilizing chromatographic techniques have focused on the analysis of molasses or molasses-based supplements sold in pharmacies to promote healthy growth in children. Also, the developed method validated with selectivity, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), accuracy, and precision parameters. The linear range for 5-HMF was 50–400 ng/mL and the correlation coefficient was 0.9977. The mean recovery values for 5-HMF range from 85.75% to 103.04%, while relative standard deviation (%RSD) values for precision values were below 6.08%. All validation values were within the acceptable range according to the guidelines. The validated method was successfully applied to 15 molasses samples sold in pharmacies as IDA supplements, and the estimated 5-HMF concentration in the whole bottle varies between 4.530 and 27.367 ng/mL. In conclusion, the analytical performance of this method highlights its potential for routine 5-HMF analysis in food products and IDA supplements sold in pharmacies, offering a reliable tool for enhanced quality control.