A reliable and accurate UHPLC-MS/MS method for screening of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Alternaria mycotoxins in orange, grape and apple juices

Abstract

An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for simultaneous determination of 15 mycotoxins.

Abstract

An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for simultaneous determination of 15 mycotoxins, including aflatoxins (B ₁, B ₂, G ₁, and G ₂), ochratoxins (A, B, and C), citrinin, patulin, and emerging Alternaria toxins (alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, altenuene, tentoxin, tenuazonic acid, and altenusin) in orange, grape and apple juices. Different extraction approaches, sorbents, chromatographic columns and mobile phases were investigated for establishment of an optimal QuEChERS procedure and UHPLC-MS/MS conditions. Recoveries were in the range of 74–110%, and the limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged from 0.05 to 0.1 ng mL ⁻¹ and from 0.1 to 5.0 ng mL ⁻¹, respectively. Matrix effects were evaluated and matrix-matched calibration curves were used to compensate for matrix effects and achieve accurate quantification. The correlation coefficients ( R ²) of linearity were higher than 0.99 and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of intra- and inter-day precision were under 13%. The method was subsequently applied to 22 fruit juice samples. The high frequencies (90.9%) of mycotoxins not only proved the reliability and sensitivity of the currently established method, but also demonstrated that fruit juices are susceptible to different mycotoxins, which need to be continuously monitored in the future.