Multi-residue analysis of 18 regulated mycotoxins by LC-MS/MS

Fusarium mycotoxins are a structurally diverse group of secondary metabolites known to contaminate a diverse array of food and feed resulting in a risk for human and animal health. European guidance legislation has set maximum levels for mycotoxins in food and feed to minimize the impact to human and animal health. The most toxicologically important Fusarium mycotoxins are trichothecenes (including deoxynivalenol (DON) and T-2 toxin (T-2)), zearalenone (ZEN) and fumonisin B1 (FB1). In this work, a single LC-MS/MS method has been developed for the determination of 18 mycotoxins in food safety. Limits of quantification were at or below the maximum levels set in the EC/1886/2006 document. The scope of the method included aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, G2), fumonisins (B1, B2, B3), ochratoxin A (OTA) and trichothecenes (3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3AcDON), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15AcDON), deoxynivalenol (DON), diasteoxyscripanol (DAS), fusarenon-X (FUS X), HT-2, neosolaninol (NEO), nivalenol (NIV), T2, zeareleonone (ZON)) with an analysis cycle time of 12.5minutes.