Deoxynivalenol Oligoglycosides: New “Masked” Fusarium Toxins Occurring in Malt, Beer, and Breadstuff

The co-occurrence of deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside with its parent toxin, deoxynivalenol, has been recently documented in many cereal-based foods, especially in those produced by enzyme-catalyzed processes. The presence of this masked mycotoxin in the human diet has become an issue of health concern, mainly because of its assumed bioavailability. A selective immunoaffinity-based preconcentration strategy, followed by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution orbitrap mass spectrometry, revealed that, in addition to the most common deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside, also oligoglycosylated deoxynivalenols with up to four bound hexose units were present in cereal-based products. The structure, origination, and fate of these deoxynivalenol conjugates during malt/beer production and bread baking have been thoroughly investigated. Special attention has been paid to the changes of deoxynivalenol conjugates enabled by industrial glycosidase-based enzymatic preparations. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first study documenting the complexity of masked deoxynivalenol issue

Determination of Multiple Mycotoxins in Dietary Supplements Containing Green Coffee Bean Extracts Using Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS)

An ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method for the determination of 34 mycotoxins in dietary supplements containing green coffee bean (GCB) extracts was developed, evaluated, and used in the analysis of 50 commercial products. A QuEChERS-like procedure was used for isolation of target analytes from the examined matrices. Average recoveries of the analytes were in the range of 75–110%. The precision of the method expressed as relative standard deviation was below 12%. Limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantitation (LOQs) ranged from 1.0 to 50.0 μg/kg and from 2.5 to 100 μg/kg, respectively. Due to matrix effects, the method of standard additions was used to ensure accurate quantitation. Ochratoxin A, ochratoxin B, fumonisin B₁ and mycophenolic acid were found in 36%, 32%, 10%, and 16% of tested products, respectively. Mycotoxins occurred in the following concentration ranges: ochratoxin A, <1.0–136.9 μg/kg; ochratoxin B, <1.0–20.2 μg/kg; fumonisin B₁, <50.0–415.0 μg/kg; mycophenolic acid, <5.0–395.0 μg/kg. High-resolution mass spectrometry operated in full MS and MS/MS mode was used to confirm the identities of the reported compounds

Mycotoxins in Plant-Based Dietary Supplements: Hidden Health Risk for Consumers

Mycotoxin contamination of dietary supplements represents a possible risk for human health, especially in the case of products intended for people suffering from certain health conditions. The aim of this study was to assess the extent of this problem based on analyses of a wide set of herbal-based dietary supplements intended for various purposes: (i) treatment of liver diseases (milk thistle); (ii) reduction of menopause effects (red clover, flax seed, and soy); and (iii) preparations for general health support (green barley, nettle, goji berries, yucca, etc.) The analytical method including 57 mycotoxins was based on a QuEChERS-like (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, safe) approach and ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The main mycotoxins determined were <i>Fusarium</i> trichothecenes, zearalenone and enniatins, and <i>Alternaria</i> mycotoxins. Co-occurrence of enniatins, HT-2/T-2 toxins, and <i>Alternaria</i> toxins was observed in many cases. The highest mycotoxin concentrations were found in milk thistle-based supplements (up to 37 mg/kg in the sum)