Abstract
An improved analytical method compared with conventional ones was developed for simultaneous determination of 13 mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, 3-acetylnivalenol, aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin B2, aflatoxin G1, aflatoxin G2, fumonisin B1, fumonisin B2, T-2, HT-2, zearalenone, and ochratoxin A) in cereal grains by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) after a single immunoaffinity column clean-up. The method showed a good linearity, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in mycotoxin determination by LC/MS/MS. The levels of 13 mycotoxins in 5 types of commercial grains (brown rice, maize, millet, sorghum, and mixed cereal) from South Korea were determined in a total of 507 cereal grains. Mycotoxins produced from Fusarium sp. (fumonisins, deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, and zearalenone) were more frequently (more than 5%) and concurrently detected in all cereal grains along with higher mean levels (4.3–161.0 ng/g) in positive samples than other toxins such as aflatoxins and ochratoxin A (less than 9% and below 5.2 ng/g in positive samples) from other fungal species.
Highlights
Mycotoxins are biologically active secondary metabolites produced by a variety of fungi such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium sp
In our current study we developed a highly sensitive and reliable analytical method for simultaneous determination of levels of 13 mycotoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, DON, NIV, 3-AcDON, fumonisin B1 (FB1), fumonisin B2 (FB2), T-2, HT-2, ZEN, and ochratoxin A (OTA)) in cereal grains by LC/MS/MS after immunoaffinity columns (IAC) clean-up
The recovery rates of the mycotoxins in rice were 73.9%–133.0% along with relative standard deviation (RSDr) of 0.1%–14.3%, which satisfied the legal limits of the recovery and RSD recommended by Codex or Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC)
Summary
Mycotoxins are biologically active secondary metabolites produced by a variety of fungi such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium sp. Approximately 400 compounds have been identified as mycotoxins such as aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), fumonisins (Fs), nivalenol (NIV), deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), T-2 toxin (T-2), and HT-2 toxin (HT-2) [1]. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1 ) is categorized as a Group 1 human carcinogen due to its potent carcinogenic properties in liver [2]. OTA, fumonisin B1 (FB1 ), and fumonisin B2 (FB2 ) are classified as possible carcinogens (Group 2B) to human since OTA causes nephrotoxicity, immune suppression, carcinogenicity, and teratogenicity in laboratory animals, and it has been associated with a fatal human kidney disease known as Balkan Endemic Nephropathy, and FB1 and FB2 cause equine. DON, ZEN, and T-2 are categorized into Group 3 (not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans) because there is no evidence in their mutagenicity and carcinogenicity [4]
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