Performance and Application of a “Dilute-and-Shoot” LC-MS/MS Method for Determination of Mycotoxins in Food Products in São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by several species of fungi that occurs in agricultural commodities, which cause a great variety of toxic effects in vertebrates, including humans. In this study, a "dilute-andshoot" method using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was evaluated and applied to assess the incidence of aflatoxins (AF) B 1 , B 2 , G 1 and G 2 , fumonisins (FB) B 1 and B 2 , ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA) and deoxynivalenol (DON) in samples of corn meal (N = 4), corn flour (N=2), wheat flour (N=4), rice (N=14) and bean (N=12) collected in small-scale farms from São Paulo, Brazil. The performance parameters (aparent recovery, matrix effect, extraction recovery, linearity, limit of quantification and limit of detection) were satisfactory, and the most frequent mycotoxin detected in food samples was FB (7.11-316.04 g/kg) below the Brazilian regulations. DON was detected in all samples of wheat flour (162.49-324.66 g/kg) along with FB in 3 samples, and in one sample of bean (46.52 g/kg). ZEA was detected in 2 samples of rice (4.90-6.78 g/kg). Results indicated low incidences of mycotoxin in the products evaluated, although the co-occurrence of FB and DON warrants concern about their incidence in wheat flour in Brazil.

A "dilute-and-shoot" method for the Alternaria mycotoxins determination in wheat

“…Alternarion -AOH Alternariol monomethyl ether -AME The "dilute-and-shoot" method was used in the extraction of ohratoxins, fumonizins, zearalenon and deoxynivalenol from the corn meal, corn flour, wheat flour, rice and bean by Franco et al (2018). Tolgyesi et al (2021) used this method for the Alternaria mycotoxins determination in the tomato-based samples (tomato puree, ketchup and tomato sauce) and different flours (wheat, rye and maize).…”

“…They are naturally produced in the food and feed products and may cause various toxic effects in humans and other vertebrates. The vertebrates usually get exposed to the mycotoxins by ingesting the contaminated food, predominantly grains and cereals (wheat, corn and peanuts) (Franco et al, 2018). These secondary metabolites may be produced under various climatic conditions and have been considered to be one of the most important public health hazards in the recent decades.…”

Avaliação da exposição às micotoxinas e caracterização do risco à saúde de lactantes em Pirassununga/SP

“…As micotoxinas nos diferentes tipos de alimentos foram determinadas pelo método analítico descrito originalmente por SULYOK; KRSKA; SCHUHMACHER (2007) e validadas anteriormente no laboratório FRANCO et al, 2018). Oitenta µL do extrato final foram misturados com 20 µL da solução de trabalho marcada isotopicamente e preparados conforme descrito na seção 3.2.1, e submetidos imediatamente à análise.…”

“…A incidência e os níveis de FBs no presente estudo foram maiores do que os relatados por (FRANCO et al, 2018), que encontraram FBs em concentrações de 7 à 316 μg/kg (abaixo dos recomendados pelas regulamentações brasileiras).…”

“…Consequentemente, destaca-se a demanda por novas revisões nos limites oficiais determinados, principalmente correlacionados com os alimentos das crianças, para avaliar com precisão a exposição às micotoxinas nos alimentos. O problema colocado pela co-ocorrência de micotoxinas em alimentos é que a combinação múltipla desses compostos pode levar à interações tóxicas aditivas ou sinérgicas adicionais quando comparadas à exposição a uma única micotoxina (ALASSANE-KPEMBI et al, 2017;FRANCO et al, 2018.…”