Determination of Mycotoxins in Cereal-Based Porridge Destined for Infant Consumption by Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

An analytical method applying ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) for the determination of aflatoxins M2, M1, G2, G1, B2, B1, deoxynivalenol, ochratoxin A, fumonisins B1 and B2, hydrolyzed fumonisins B1 and B2, zearalenone and sterigmatocystin in cereal-based porridge destined for infant consumption was developed and validated. The mycotoxins were extracted using an adequate solvent ratio (n-hexane/3% formic acid solution/acetonitrile) under rapid shaking and sonication, without any further cleanup steps. Recoveries ranged from 63.5 to 113.2% and were considered satisfactory, with relative standard deviations lower than 20%. The limits of quantification ranged from 0.14 to 6.73 μg kg−1. The validated method was then applied to the determination of mycotoxins in 84 samples of cereal-based porridge destined for infant consumption obtained in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Aflatoxins B1 and G1, fumonisins B1 and B2, hydrolyzed fumonisins B1 and B2, deoxynivalenol, and zearalenone were found, respectively, in 7.1, 2.4, 47.6, 3.6, 65.5, and 60.7% of the analyzed samples. The maximum permissible limits set by the Brazilian legislation were exceeded for at least one mycotoxin in 21 (25%) of the analyzed samples.