scope:

This document describes an isotope dilution method for the quantitative determination of aflatoxins B₁, B₂, G₁, G₂ and M₁ (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2 and AFM1), ochratoxin A (OTA), deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), T-2 and HT-2 toxins (T-2 and HT-2) and fumonisins B₁ and B₂ (FB1 and FB2) in foods by liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS).

A specific immunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up is needed for aflatoxins (AFs) and OTA in infant foods (e.g. infant cereals, milk-based powders), in spices, in dried fruits and in nuts.

The method has been validated through an intercollaborative study on different commodity groups: cereals and cereal-based products including food for infant and young children, nuts, spices, dried fruits and milk powder. The ranges of concentrations of each mycotoxin in these naturally contaminated and/or spiked food samples were:

- aflatoxin B₁: 0,0857 μg/kg - 11,4 μg/kg;

- aflatoxin B₂: 0,0792 μg/kg - 12,5 μg/kg;

- aflatoxin G₁: 0,0628 μg/kg - 20,9 μg/kg;

- aflatoxin G₂: 0,0520 μg/kg - 15,0 μg/kg;

- aflatoxin M₁: 0,0342 μg/kg - 0,110 μg/kg;

- ochratoxin A: 0,448 μg/kg - 17,2 μg/kg;

- deoxynivalenol: 45,2 μg/kg - 743 μg/kg;

- zearalenone: 9,57 μg/kg - 131 μg/kg;

- T-2 toxin: 10,3 μg/kg - 57,9 μg/kg;

- HT-2 toxin: 9,50 μg/kg - 81,8 μg/kg;

- fumonisin B₁: 31,1 μg/kg - 4 262 μg/kg;

- fumonisin B₂: 44,2 μg/kg - 1 299 μg/kg.

The measuring ranges of the method for each mycotoxin/matrix combination are given in Table 7.