Abstract
Pistachios are one of the types of tree nut fruits with the highest mycotoxin contamination, especially of aflatoxins, worldwide. This study developed a Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) method that was followed by Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography combined with Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC–ToF-MS) for the determination of mycotoxins in pistachios. Different approaches to dispersive solid phase extraction as a clean-up method for high lipid matrices were evaluated. For this, classic sorbents such as C18 (octadecyl-modified silica) and PSA (primary secondary amine), and new classes of sorbents, namely EMR-Lipid (enhanced matrix removal-lipid) and Z-Sep (modified silica gel with zirconium oxide), were used. The QuEChERS method, followed by Z-Sep d-SPE clean-up, provided the best analytical performance for aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2), ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA), toxin T2 (T2) and toxin HT-2 (HT2) in pistachios. The method was validated in terms of linearity, sensitivity, repeatability, interday precision and recovery; it achieved good results according to criteria imposed by Commission Regulation (EC) no. 401/2006. The method was applied to real samples and the results show that pistachios that are available in Portuguese markets are safe from mycotoxins that are of concern to human health.
Highlights
Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.), as other tree nut fruits like hazelnut, almonds, walnuts and cashew nuts, are characteristic of Mediterranean diet [1], consumed as a snack but is used in ice cream and bakery
QuEChERS method was used for the extraction of mycotoxins from pistachio nuts
The procedure involved the extraction of 5 g pistachio with 10 mL acetonitrile after shaking the sample with 10 mL of water acidified with 0.1% of formic acid (FA)
Summary
Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.), as other tree nut fruits like hazelnut, almonds, walnuts and cashew nuts, are characteristic of Mediterranean diet [1], consumed as a snack (raw, roasted or salted) but is used in ice cream and bakery. Consumption of pistachio has been increasing due to recognized nutritional quality they are low in calories, high in monounsaturated fatty acids and low in saturated fatty acids. They are a good source of proteins, carbohydrate and dietary fibres, vitamins (A, E, K, B1 and B6) and minerals (potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron). Several health benefits are associated with pistachio consumption, studies show reduction of the risk of coronary heart disease [2], reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation, blood glucose control, improved appetite management and consequent better weight control [3]. In 2019, the global market of pistachio was dominated by Iran and United States of America, which produced 337,000 tons and 335,000 tons, respectively, followed by China and Turkey [4,5]
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