Development and validation of a (semi-)quantitative UHPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of 191 mycotoxins and other fungal metabolites in almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts and pistachios

Multi-analyte high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution tandem mass spectrometry method for control of pesticide residues, mycotoxins, and pyrrolizidine alkaloids

A new reliable and highly sensitive method based on high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) separation and high resolution tandem mass spectrometric detection (HRMS/MS) has been developed and validated for determination of 323 pesticide residues, 55 mycotoxins, and 11 plant toxins represented by pyrrolizidine alkaloids. The method was validated for three matrices, leek, wheat, and tea differing in nature/amount of co-extracts that may cause various matrix effects. For target analytes isolation, optimized QuEChERS-based (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) extraction procedure was employed. Spectral HRMS/MS library has been established providing an entire spectrum of fragment ions for each analyte, which allows unbiased identification and confirmation of target compounds. The limits of quantification (LOQs) of target analytes were below 10 μg kg(-1) for 82%, 81%, and 61% for matrices leek, wheat, and tea, respectively. Recoveries were in the acceptable range (70-120%) according to SANCO/12571/2013 for most of target analytes, except for highly polar 'masked' mycotoxin deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside with recoveries 35%, 47%, and 42% for matrices leek, wheat, and tea, respectively. The linearities of calibration curves expressed as coefficients of determination were in the range of 0.9661-1.000, and repeatabilities expressed as relative standard deviations (RSDs) at LOQs lied in the range of 0.25-13.51%. The trueness of the method was verified using several certified reference materials (CRMs) and proficiency test samples.

Biosynthesis of seven carbon-13 labeled Alternaria toxins including altertoxins, alternariol, and alternariol methyl ether, and their application to a multiple stable isotope dilution assay

An unprecedented stable isotope dilution assay for the genotoxic altertoxins along with exposure data of consumers is presented to enable a first risk assessment of these Alternaria toxins in foods. Altertoxins were produced as the most abundant Alternaria toxins in a modified Czapek-Dox medium with a low level of glucose as the carbon source and ammonium sulfate as the sole nitrogen source. Labeled altertoxins were synthesized in the same way using [(13)C6]glucose. Moreover, labeled alternariol, alternariol methyl ether, altenuene, and alternuisol were biosynthesized in another modified medium containing [(13)C6]glucose and sodium [(13)C2]acetate. A stable isotope dilution LC-MS/MS method was developed and used for food analysis. For altertoxin I, altertoxin II, alterperylenol, alternariol, and alternariol methyl ether, the limits of detection ranged from 0.09 to 0.53 μg kg(-1). The inter-/intra-day (n = 3 × 6) relative standard deviations of the method were below 13%, and the recoveries ranged between 96 and 109%. Among the various commercial food samples, some of the organic whole grains revealed low-level contamination with altertoxin I and alterperylenol, and paprika powder, which was heavily loaded with alternariol, alternariol methyl ether, and tentoxin, showed higher contamination level of altertoxin I and alterperylenol. Altertoxin II and III and stemphyltoxin III were not detectable. In addition, if the food was contaminated with altertoxins, it was likely to be co-contaminated with the other Alternaria toxins, but not necessarily vice versa. Maximum concentrations of altertoxin I and alterperylenol were detected in sorghum feed samples containing 43 and 58 μg kg(-1), respectively. This was significantly higher than that in the measured food samples.

Development and validation of an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric method for the simultaneous determination of free and conjugated Alternaria toxins in cereal-based foodstuffs

A UPLC-ESI^+/--MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of free (alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, altenuene, tenuazonic acid, tentoxin, altertoxin-I) and conjugated (sulfates and glucosides of alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether) Alternaria toxins in cereals and cereal products (rice, oat flakes and barley) was developed. Optimization of the sample preparation and extraction methodology was achieved through experimental design, using full factorial design for extraction solvent composition optimization and fractional factorial design to identify the critical factors in the sample preparation protocol, which were in turn subjected to optimization. Final extracts were analysed using an Waters Acquity UPLC system coupled to a Quattro Premier XE mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray interface operated in both positive and negative ionization mode. Chromatographic separation was achieved using an Acquity UPLC HSS T3 column, and the applied gradient elution programme allowed for the simultaneous determination of 10 Alternaria toxins in a one-step chromatographic run with a total run time of only 7min. Subsequently, the method, applying isotopically labelled internal standards ([²H₄]-alternariol monomethyl ether and [¹³C₆,¹⁵N]-tenuazonic acid), was validated for several parameters such as linearity, apparent recovery, limit of detection, limit of quantification, precision, measurement uncertainty and specificity (in agreement with the criteria mentioned in Commission Regulation No. 401/2006/EC and Commission Decision No. 2002/657/EC). During validation, quality of the bioanalytical data was improved by counteracting the observed heteroscedasticity through the application of weighted least squares linear regression (WLSLR). Finally, 24 commercially available cereal-based foodstuffs were subjected to analysis, revealing the presence of tenuazonic acid in both rice and oat flake samples (<LOQ - 68±7μgkg^-1) and tentoxin in rice samples (<LOQ - 10.9±2.0μgkg^-1).

Rapid LC-MS-based metabolomics method to study the Fusarium infection of barley

Ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry was applied to evaluate the potential of nontarget metabolomic fingerprinting in order to distinguish Fusarium-infected and control barley samples. First, the sample extraction and instrumental conditions were optimized to obtain the broadest possible representation of polar/medium-polar compounds occurring in extracts obtained from barley grain samples. Next, metabolomic fingerprints of extracts obtained from nine barley varieties were acquired under ESI conditions in both positive and negative mode. Each variety of barley was tested in two variants: artificially infected by Fusarium culmorum at the beginning of heading and a control group (no infection). In addition, the dynamics of barley infection development was monitored using this approach. The experimental data were statistically evaluated by principal component analysis, hierarchical clustering analysis, and orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis. The differentiation of barley in response to F. culmorum infection was feasible using this metabolomics-based method. Analysis in positive mode provided a higher number of molecular features as compared to that performed under negative mode setting. However, the analysis in negative mode permitted the detection of deoxynivalenol and deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside considered as resistance-indicator metabolites in barley.

Aflatoxin evaluation in ready-to-eat brazil nuts using reversed-phase liquid chromatography and post-column derivatisation

A high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence (HPLC-FD) method for aflatoxin quantification in brazil nuts was developed. Samples of brazil nuts collected in Brazilian markets were extracted with methanol:water and cleaned using an immunoaffinity column. Aflatoxins were eluted with methanol and a post-column derivatisation was performed with bromine, using a Kobra Cell system. The optimised method for total aflatoxins was sensitive, with detection and quantification limits of 0.05 and 0.25 µg kg⁻¹, respectively. The method was accurate, with recovery values of 87.6%; 85.3% and 85.0% for 0.5, 5.0 and 14.6 µg kg⁻¹ spiked levels, respectively. It was shown that the method was applicable to brazil nuts. From a total of 95 brazil nut samples analysed from 21 São Paulo supermarket samples and 51 Manaus and 23 Belém street markets samples, 37.9% showed detectable levels of aflatoxins and three exceeded the recommended Codex Alimentarius limit of 10 µg kg⁻¹ for ready-to-eat brazil nuts.

Developments in mycotoxin analysis: an update for 2012-2013

This review highlights developments in mycotoxin analysis and sampling over a period between mid-2012 and mid-2013. It covers the major mycotoxins: aflatoxins, Alternaria toxins, ergot alkaloids, fumonisins, ochratoxins, patulin, trichothecenes and zearalenone. A wide range of analytical methods for mycotoxin determination in food and feed were developed last year, in particular immunochemical methods and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based methods. After a section on sampling and sample preparation, due to the rapid spread and developments in the field of LC-MS/MS multimycotoxin methods, a separate section has been devoted to this area of research. It is followed by a section on mycotoxins in botanicals and spices, before continuing with the format of previous reviews in this series with dedicated sections on method developments for the individual mycotoxins.