QuEChERS LC-MS/MS Screening Method for Mycotoxin Detection in Cereal Products and Spices.

Licia Pantano,Maria Drussilla Buscemi,Andrea Macaluso,Ladislao La Scala,Antonio Vella,Francesco Giuseppe Galluzzo,Carmelo Bongiorno,Francesco Olibrio

doi:10.3390/ijerph18073774

Abstract

We developed and validated a screening method for mycotoxin analysis in cereal products and spices. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS) was used for the analysis. Dispersive solid-phase extractions (d-SPEs) were used for the extraction of samples. Ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA), aflatoxins (AFLA; AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisin (FUMO; FB1, FB2, FB3), T2, and HT2 were validated in maize. AFLA and DON were validated in black pepper. The method satisfies the requirements of Commission Regulation (EC) no. 401/2006 and (EC) no. 1881/2006. The screening target concentration (STC) was under maximum permitted levels (MLs) for all mycotoxins validated. The method’s performance was assessed by two different proficiencies and tested with 100 real samples.

Highlights

We developed and validated a screening method for mycotoxin analysis in cereal products and spices
Acetonitrile can reduce the extraction of lipophilic materials such as fats and has a high capacity to extract molecules characterized by different polarities [106]
Ochratoxin A (OTA), AFLA, and ZEA are soluble in polar8 of 18

Summary

Introduction

We developed and validated a screening method for mycotoxin analysis in cereal products and spices. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS) was used for the analysis. Dispersive solid-phase extractions (d-SPEs) were used for the extraction of samples. Ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA), aflatoxins (AFLA; AFB1 , AFB2 , AFG1 , AFG2 ), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisin (FUMO; FB1 , FB2 , FB3 ), T2, and HT2 were validated in maize. AFLA and DON were validated in black pepper. The method satisfies the requirements of Commission Regulation (EC) no. The screening target concentration (STC) was under maximum permitted levels (MLs) for all mycotoxins validated. The method’s performance was assessed by two different proficiencies and tested with 100 real samples

Methods

Results

Conclusion