Multi-mycotoxin determination in cereals and derived products marketed in Tunisia using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry

Abstract

The aim of the study was the use of a fast and simple method using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) for the simultaneous determination of aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2), ochratoxin A (OTA), fumonisins (FB1 and FB2), deoxynivalenol (DON), T2 and HT2 toxins in 58 samples of raw wheat (n = 34), barley (n = 5), sorghum (n = 3), processed wheat (n = 13) and breakfast cereals (n = 3) from Tunisian markets. The frequency of contamination of total samples with the analyzed mycotoxins was 50%. AFG2 was the most frequently detected in 11 samples (4 wheat, 4 barley and 3 sorghum) and it was detected at 5.2-52.4 μg/kg. HT2 toxin contaminated seven samples (4 wheat and 3 barley) and it was detected at 5.0-11.1 μg/kg. FB2 was detected in one wheat, sorghum, semolina and breakfast cereal samples at 5.0-61.5 μg/kg. FB1 was detected in three samples (2 sorghum and one barley) at 6.4-120 μg/kg. AFB1 was only found in two sorghum samples at 14 and 79.9 μg/kg. OTA was detected in one sorghum sample at concentrations below limit of quantification (5 μg/kg). The analytical results also showed that all the analyzed samples were not contaminated with DON, AFG1, AFB2 and T2 toxin.