Multi-Residue Analysis of 18 Regulated Mycotoxins by LC/MS/MS

Introduction

Mycotoxins are one of the most important contaminants in food and feed due to their widespread distribution in the environment and toxic effects on humans and animals. Structurally, mycotoxins are a very diverse group with a wide range of physicochemical properties and low molecular weights. They are produced by fungi (mould) frequently found on agricultural produce, and are often not visible to the naked eye. Some of the most commonly contaminated food stuffs include wheat, oats, rye, corn, barley, rice, nuts and milk. Due to the risks posed by mycotoxins in food they are regulated globally, including, the EU, US, China, Singapore and Brazil. In the EU, reporting limits are harmonised in Regulation (EC) No 1886/2006 (amended by (EC) No 1126/2007) and sampling and analysis in Regulation (EC) No 401/2006. LC/MS/MS is the technique most commonly employed for mycotoxin quantitation in order to achieve the necessary low reporting limits in complex food and feed matrices.

November 1, 2016 GMT