Simultaneous analysis of Alternaria toxins and XXXX in @entity523 : an optimised method using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

@entity22443 @entity1042 @entity44929 @entity523 @entity40015 @entity15
UNASSIGNED: Alternaria toxins and @entity22443 are mycotoxins produced by fungi growing on different raw materials and agricultural commodities. Maximum levels of these toxins in foods are currently under consideration by the European Commission as a risk management measure. In this study, a new quantitative method is described for the determination of five Alternaria toxins and @entity22443 in @entity523 and @entity523 juice samples based on LC- @entity15 / @entity15 detection. Samples were extracted with pure @entity1042 , followed by a derivatisation step with @entity40015 to improve the determination of @entity44929 and to decrease the wide polarity difference between the compounds of interest. Samples were purified on hydrophilic-modified styrene polymer solid-phase extraction cartridges. High-performance liquid chromatographic columns packed with different core-shell materials were tested for the separation of toxins and a C-18 phase was in the final method applied to achieve sufficient separation of all relevant analytes. A key element of this approach was to prove successful transferability of the method to three different triple quadrupole mass spectrometers. A full single laboratory method validation was performed on two LC- @entity15 / @entity15 systems and performance characteristics met the predefined requirements. Moreover, the method was used in an international proficiency test and the satisfactory z-scores obtained (-0.1 to 0.8 in @entity523 juice samples) demonstrated the reliability of the approach described. The method will be validated in an inter-laboratory collaborative study and if the criteria for method precision are met, the method will be proposed as a new Work Item to the European Committee for Standardisation.
