Two multiresidue methods based on different extraction procedures have been developed and compared for the liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry analysis of 17 mycotoxins including ochratoxin A, aflatoxins (B(1), B(2), G(1), and G(2)), zearalenone, fumonisins (B(1) and B(2)), T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, nivalenol, deoxynivalenol, 3- and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol, fusarenon-X, diacetoxyscirpenol, and neosolaniol in cereal-based commodities. The extraction procedures considered were a QuEChERS-like method and one using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE). Both extraction procedures gave similar performances in terms of linearity (r(2) > 0.98) and precision (both RSD(r) and RSD(iR) < 20%). Trueness was evaluated through participation in four proficiency tests and by the analysis of two certified reference materials and one quality control material. Satisfactory Z scores (|Z| < 2) and trueness values (73-130%) were obtained by the proposed procedures. Limits of quantification were similar by both methods and were within the 1.0-2.0 microg/kg range for aflatoxins, 0.5 microg/kg for ochratoxin A, and the 5-100 microg/kg range for all other mycotoxins tested. The QuEChERS-like method was found to be easier to handle and allowed a higher sample throughput as compared to the ASE method.

Cover photo © World Wide Fund for Nature Deutschland (www.wwf.de/living-planet-report) This report has been produced with financial assistance from the European Union, under the project 'Bioenergy, sustainability and trade-offs: Can we avoid deforestation while promoting bioenergy?' The objective of the project is to contribute to sustainable bioenergy development that benefits local people in developing countries, minimises negative impacts on local environments and rural livelihoods, and contributes to global climate change mitigation. The project will achieve this by producing and communicating policy-relevant analyses that can inform government, corporate and civil society decision making related to bioenergy development and its effects on forests and livelihoods.

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