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Content of the Alternaria mycotoxin tenuazonic acid in food commodities determined by a stable isotope dilution assay

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Abstract

The Alternaria mycotoxin tenuazonic acid (TA) was quantified in fruit juices (n = 50), cereals (n = 12) and spices (n = 38) using a recently developed stable isotope dilution assay (SIDA). [13 C6,15 N]-TA was used as the internal standard. Method validation revealed low limits of detection (LODs) of 0.15 μg/kg (fruit juices), 1.0 μg/kg (cereals) and 17 μg/kg (spices). The respective limits of quantitation were about three times higher. Recovery was about 100% for all matrices. The precision (relative standard deviation of replicate analyses of naturally contaminated samples) was 4.2% (grape juice; 1.7 μg/kg), 3.5% (whole wheat flour; 36 μg/kg) and 0.9% (curry powder; 215 μg/kg). The median content of TA in the analyzed samples was 1.8 μg/kg (fruit juices), 16 μg/kg (cereals) and 500 μg/kg (spices). Positive samples amounted to 86% (fruit juices), 92% (cereals) and 87% (spices).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chair of Analytical Food Chemistry, Technische Universität München, Alte Akademie 10, 85354, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany

    Stefan Asam, Martina Lichtenegger, Yang Liu & Michael Rychlik

  2. BIOANALYTIK Weihenstephan, Research Center for Nutrition and Food Sciences (ZIEL), Alte Akademie 10, 85354, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany

    Michael Rychlik

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  1. Stefan Asam
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  2. Martina Lichtenegger
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  3. Yang Liu
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  4. Michael Rychlik
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Correspondence to Michael Rychlik.

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Asam, S., Lichtenegger, M., Liu, Y. et al. Content of the Alternaria mycotoxin tenuazonic acid in food commodities determined by a stable isotope dilution assay. Mycotoxin Res 28, 9–15 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12550-011-0111-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12550-011-0111-x

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