Multi-Mycotoxin Analysis in Italian Grains Using Ultra-High-Performance Chromatography Coupled to Quadrupole Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Mycotoxins are a major source of contamination in cereals, posing risks to human health and causing significant economic losses to the industry. A comprehensive strategy for the analysis of 21 mycotoxins in Italian cereal grain samples (n = 200) was developed using a simple and quick sample preparation method combined with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC Q-Orbitrap HRMS). The proposed method showed some advantages, such as multi-mycotoxin analyses with simple sample preparation, fast determination, and high sensitivity. The analysis of the sample revealed the presence of 11 mycotoxins, with α-zearalenol being the most frequently detected, while deoxynivalenol exhibited the highest contamination level. Furthermore, co-occurrence was identified in 15.5% of the samples under analysis. Among these, 13% of the samples reported the simultaneous presence of two mycotoxins, while 2.5% showed the co-occurrence of three mycotoxins. Currently, there has been a renewed interest in guaranteeing the quality and safety of products intended for human consumption. This study holds significant value due to its ability to simultaneously detect multiple mycotoxins within a complex matrix. Furthermore, it provides findings regarding the occurrence and co-occurrence of emerging mycotoxins that currently lack regulation under the existing European Commission Regulation.

Simultaneous determination of 78 pesticide residues and 16 mycotoxins in tsampa by an improved QuEChERS method coupled with ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

“…5 Mycotoxins, the toxic metabolites produced by fungi that grow in substrates like grain or feed, can affect the tsampa during cultivation, storage, or transport. [6][7][8] Most of the mycotoxins are highly biotoxic, suppressing the immune system and causing adverse effects on human health, such as carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, and mutagenicity. 9,10 Mycotoxins for instance aatoxin, 11 fumonisin B1, 12 ochratoxin A 13 and zearalenone 14 and deoxynivalenol 15 are classied as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).…”