Development of a Multi-mycotoxin Analysis in Beer-based Drinks by a Modified QuEChERS Method and Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

An analytical method was developed for the identification and quantification of 15 mycotoxins (patulin, nivalenol, deoxynivalenol, aflatoxin B(1), B(2), G(1), G(2), M(1), T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, zearalenone, fumonisin B(1), B(2), B(3), and ochratoxin A) in beer-based drinks (beer, low-malt beer, new genre, and nonalcoholic) by a modified QuEChERS method and an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC/MS/MS). Mycotoxins were extracted from samples using acetonitrile with sodium chloride, anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and sodium citrate, and were then purified with a solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridge including C18. The UHPLC conditions were also examined to establish its optimal conditions for separation. Fifteen mycotoxins were separated in a total of 6.5 min, and were quantified in the optimal mobile phase conditions. Determinations performed using this method produced high correlation coefficients of 15 mycotoxins (R>0.99) and recovery rates ranging from 70.3 to 110.7% with good repeatability (relative standard deviation RSD<14.6%). Further, 24 commercial beer-based drinks in Japan were analyzed using this method, and nivalenol, deoxynivalenol, and fumonisins were detected in several samples, but always under the limit of quantification (<5 ng/mL). These results suggest that the health risk to consumers from beer-based drinks in Japan is relatively low.