Multi-mycotoxin Analysis of Finished Grain and Nut
Products Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Triple-Quadrupole
Mass Spectrometry
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Abstract
Mycotoxins
in foods have long been recognized as potential health
hazards due to their toxic and carcinogenic properties. A simple and
rapid method was developed to detect 26 mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxins,
fumonisins, trichothecenes, and ergot alkaloids) in corn, rice, wheat,
almond, peanut, and pistachio products using high-performance liquid
chromatography–triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry. Test portions
of homogenized grain or nut products were extracted with acetonitrile/water
(85:15, v/v), followed by high-speed centrifugation and dilution with
water. Mean recoveries (± standard deviations) were 84 ±
6, 89 ± 6, 97 ± 9, 87 ± 12, 104 ± 16, and 92 ±
18% from corn, rice, wheat, almond, peanut, and pistachio products,
respectively, and the matrix-dependent instrument quantitation limits
ranged from 0.2 to 12.8 μg/kg, depending on the mycotoxin. Matrix
effects, as measured by the slope ratios of matrix-matched and solvent-only
calibration curves, revealed primarily suppression and were more pronounced
in nuts than in grains. The measured mycotoxin concentrations in 11
corn and wheat reference materials were not different from the certified
concentrations. Nineteen mycotoxins were identified and measured in
35 of 70 commercial grain and nut products, ranging from 0.3 ±
0.1 μg/kg (aflatoxin B<sub>1</sub> in peanuts) to 1143 ±
87 μg/kg (fumonisin B<sub>1</sub> in corn flour). This rapid
and efficient method was shown to be rugged and effective for the
multiresidue analysis of mycotoxins in finished grain and nut products