Determination of Fusarium mycotoxins beauvericin and enniatins (A, A1, B, B1) in eggs of laying hens using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS)

Abstract

An existing sample preparation technique used for the determination of ionophoric coccidiostats was modified to permit the analysis of Fusarium mycotoxins beauvericin and enniatins in egg samples. The validation results indicated that the sample preparation method developed is well applicable to the determination of the related compounds in eggs. The presence and contamination levels of beauvericin and enniatins A, A1, B and B1 were studied in Finnish egg samples in 2004–2005. The egg sample analyses (112 whole eggs and 367 egg yolk) revealed that the occurrence of beauvericin as well as enniatins B and B1 is very common in Finnish eggs. The contaminations were, however, in most cases in trace-levels (<limit of quantification). Enniatin A and A1 were not found in any of the whole egg samples, and furthermore enniatin B1 was present only in samples from 2004. The general contamination levels of beauvericin and enniatins in whole egg samples were similar in 2004 and 2005. The prevalence and concentration levels of mycotoxins were higher in the market samples (egg yolk) as compared to samples collected in the national residue monitoring programme (whole egg) samples suggesting that there may be bioaccumulation of these mycotoxin contaminants in egg yolk. This is the first study to report the presence of Fusarium mycotoxins beauvericin and enniatins in egg samples.