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Multi-mycotoxins Analysis in Dried Fruit by LC/MS/MS and a Modified QuEChERS Procedure

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Abstract

A sensitive and reliable multi-mycotoxin method was developed for the simultaneous determination of 16 toxicological important mycotoxins, such as aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2; enniatins A, A1, B, and B1; beauvericin; ochratoxin A; fumonisin B1, B2, and B3; diacetoxyscirprenol; HT-2; and T-2 toxin in dried fruits using liquid chromatography combined with electrospray ionization-triple quadrupole tandem-mass spectrometry. Mycotoxins have been extracted from the samples using a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe procedure. The method was based on a single extraction with acidified acetonitrile, followed by partitioning with salts, avoiding any further clean-up step. Limits of detections ranged from 0.08 to 15 μg kg−1 and limits of quantification ranged from 0.2 to 45 μg kg−1, which were below the legal limit set by the European Union for the legislated mycotoxines. The recoveries in spiked samples ranged from 60 to 135 % except for beauvericin using matrix-matched calibration curves for quantification, with good inter- and intraday repeatability (respective relative standard deviation ≤20 and 9 %). The developed method was applied to 15 commercial dried fruits: raisins, figs, apricots, plums, and dates purchased in local markets from Spain. Among the mycotoxins studied, enniantins and aflatoxins were the most predominant mycotoxins.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (AGL2010-17024/ALI).

Conflict of Interest

Ines Azaiez has no conflict of interest. Federica Giusti has no conflict of interest. Gianni Sagratini has no conflict of interest. Jordi Mañes has no conflict of interest. Mónica Fernández has no conflict of interest. This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Spain

    Ines Azaiez, Jordi Mañes & Mónica Fernández-Franzón

  2. Scuola di Scienze del Farmaco e dei Prodotti della Salute, Università di Camerino, via S. Agostino 1, 62032, Camerino, Italy

    Federica Giusti & Gianni Sagratini

Authors
  1. Ines Azaiez
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  2. Federica Giusti
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  3. Gianni Sagratini
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  4. Jordi Mañes
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  5. Mónica Fernández-Franzón
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Correspondence to Mónica Fernández-Franzón.

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Azaiez, I., Giusti, F., Sagratini, G. et al. Multi-mycotoxins Analysis in Dried Fruit by LC/MS/MS and a Modified QuEChERS Procedure. Food Anal. Methods 7, 935–945 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-013-9785-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-013-9785-3

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