Chemical reduction of the mycotoxin beauvericin using allyl isothiocyanate

Abstract

Beauvericin (BEA) is a bioactive compound produced by the secondary metabolism of several Fusarium strains and known to have various biological activities. This study investigated the reduction of BEA present in the concentration of 25mg/kg on a solution model (phosphate buffer saline at pH 4 and 7) and in wheat flour using allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) as a reactant. The concentration of the mycotoxin studied was evaluated using liquid chromatography coupled to the diode array detector (LC-DAD), whereas adducts formed between the BEA and AITC were examined by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry-linear ion trap (LC-MS-LIT). In solution, BEA reduction ranged from 20% to 100% on a time-dependent fashion and no significant differences were evidenced between the two pH levels employed. In the food system composed by wheat flour treated with gaseous AITC (50, 100 and 500 μL/L), the BEA reduction varied from 10% to 65% and was dose-dependent. Two reaction products between the bioactive compounds employed in this study were identified, corresponding to BEA conjugates containing one or two AITC molecules.