Metabolic profiling of potatoes at SCRI began in 2001 using both LC/MS and GC/MS. Profiling of GM and non-GM potatoes looking for unintended effects (generation of compounds in GM plants) were analysed on two LCQ-Deca systems (Thermofinnigan, Hemel Hempstead).

Rigorous experimental design procedures made in collaboration with BioSS and onsite computational biologists have created robust methods that give optimal information about metabolite changes and pathways.

Expertise of the group has now extended to include soft fruit profiling, barley profiling and tomato plants profiling. Collaborations with St Andrews University, Rowett Research Institute and Ninewells Hospital, to mention a few, has increased our expertise in the analysis of mammalian tissues for both targeted and untargeted compound analysis.

The laboratory has recently been located in the building that houses the GC/MS facility. LCQ-Deca are Iontrap technology allowing accurate mass detection and scan range of m/z: 80-2000, with the capabilities of detecting proteins and large metabolites with multiple charges. The instruments have MSn up to 10 to aid compound identification and are coupled to a diode array detector. Semi-quantitative and quantitative analysis is done by the addition of labelled standards and halogenated standards.

The laboratory manager develops instrument methods, extraction methods, SPE and HPLC fractionation for samples to optimise LC/MS output. Julie Sungurtas, Sean Conner, Gordon McDougall and Michael Anderson all work in the Metabolomics research group under Derek Stewart (Progamme Leader, Plant Products and Food  Quality).