Analysis of Underivatizated Patulin by a GC-MS Technique

Abstract

An alternative approach based on the use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is used to confirm the presence of patulin in apple juice. In the gas chromatography (GC) methods previously described, derivatization of patulin was always necessary in order to achieve good chromatographic detection. The use of electronic pressure control (EPC) and on-column injection avoids the need for patulin derivatization and allows a sensitive analysis of patulin. A detection limit of 4 microg/liter in apple juice can be attributed to the method.

Exposure to patulin from consumption of apple-based products

“…LC coupled to UV detection has been extensively used, given the polar nature of patulin, its characteristic UV absorption spectrum and the requirement to accurately determine levels in a very low concentration range (Sydenham et al 1995). Nevertheless, interfering compounds, such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), can simultaneously elute with patulin from a reverse-phase column; therefore, an alternative approach, based on the use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), has been used to confirm the presence of patulin in apple juice as its trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivative or as underivatized patulin on column injection (Lezi et al 1981, Llovera et al 1999, Rupp et al 2000, Roach et al 2002, Tabata et al 2004.…”

Chromatographic separation techniques for determination of mycotoxins in food and feed

“…For PAT analysis, both derivatized and underivatized extracts have been separated on capillary GC columns with MS detection in selected ion monitoring mode. The use of capillary GC-MS as a confirmatory method for PAT has been demonstrated by Llovera et al (1999) and Roach et al (2000). The former used electron impact ionization, whereas the latter used negative ion chemical ionization.…”

Detection and Determination of Patulin in Fruits and Fruit Products

“…A variety of methods of analysis for PAT in fruit and fruit juice has been developed: TLC (Prieta et al, 1992;AOAC,1995;Vero et al, 1999), HPLC (Prieta et al, 1993;Rovira et al, 1993;Bartolomé et al, 1994;Gö kmen and Acar, 1999;Trucksess and Tang, 1999;Eisele and Gibson, 2003;Gö kmen et al, 2005;Iha and Sabino, 2005), GC (Tarter and Scott, 1991), GC/MS (Llovera et al, 1999;Sheu and Shyu, 1999;Roach et al, 2000;Rupp and Turnipseed, 2000;Tabata et al, 2004), LC/MS (Takino et al, 2003;Ito et al, 2004). Tsao and Zhou (2000) developed a method of capillary electrophoresis (CE) and Sewram et al (2000) a method of LC/MS-MS.…”

“…The presence of HMF was also confirmed at levels < or = 2 mg/l. An alternative approach based on the use of GC/MS developed by Llovera et al (1999) is used to confirm the presence of PAT in apple juice. In the GC methods previously described, derivatization of PAT was always necessary in order to achieve good chromatographic detection.…”