Abstract
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates
the composition of infant formulas, including protein and
amino acid content, making precise characterization of
these components critical. Increasing interest in optimizing
amino acid profiles has highlighted the need for efficient
and accurate analytical methods. This work presents a
streamlined approach for determining amino acid content in
an infant formula Standard Reference Material (SRM) using
acid and base hydrolysis with the MARS 6™ hydrolysis system.
Compared to conventional hydrolysis methods requiring 12–24
hours, the MARS 6 significantly reduces reaction times to 30–
60 minutes. This approach eliminates the need for performic
acid oxidation, reducing sample preparation complexity and
reagent handling while maintaining amino acid integrity.
Overall, the method improves efficiency, reduces analysis time,
and enhances throughput, providing a practical solution for
comprehensive amino acid analysis in infant formula.
