Determination of nitrofuran metabolites in muscle by LC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS/MS: Alternative validation according to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/808

Abstract

Nitrofurans are banned in food of animal origin in the European Union. A rugged liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and LC-MS/MS cubed (LC-MS/MS/MS) analytical method allowing the confirmation of five metabolites of nitrofuran antibacterial agents, furaltadone, furazolidone, nifursol, nitrofurantoin and nitrofurazone in animal muscle tissue was developed and validated. The validation of 1-aminohydantoin (AHD), 3-amino-5-methyl-morpholino-2-oxazolidinone (AMOZ), 3-amino-2-oxazolidinone (AOZ), 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid hydrazide (DNSH) and semicarbazide (SEM) was carried out according to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/808, by the adoption of a matrix-comprehensive in-house validation concept and the standard addition calibration. Validation was successfully performed, starting from 0.4 µg kg−1. Decision limit (CCα), recovery, repeatability, within-laboratory reproducibility and uncertainty of measurement were determined together with a factorial effect analysis. The procedure was verified through the analysis of two certified reference materials. The sample preparation consisted in acid hydrolysis and derivatization steps, followed by a liquid-liquid extraction of the analytes with ethylacetate.