In this study, 135 samples of cocoa beans collected in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest regions of Brazil were analysed to evaluate the possible co-occurrence of 34 mycotoxins. The results indicate that 42% of the cocoa samples exhibited quantifiable levels for 11 mycotoxins: aflatoxins (AFs) B1, B2 and G1; ochratoxin A; citrinin; cyclopiazonic acid; tenuazonic acid; paxilline; sterigmatocystin; zearalenone and fumonisin B2. Of the samples, 18% exhibited the co-occurrence of up to six mycotoxins. No toxins belonging to the groups of trichothecenes or ergot alkaloids were detected. Contingency analysis of the incidence of mycotoxins did not show significant differences between the two regions evaluated. Seven samples were contaminated with AFs, while only one contained ochratoxin A above 10 μg kg-1. The accuracy of the method was evaluated by proficiency testing for ochratoxin A, where satisfactory Z-scores were obtained.
Keywords: LC-MS/MS; Multi-mycotoxin; mass spectrometry; monitoring; occurrence.