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Evaluation of Alternaria toxins in fruits, vegetables and their derivatives marketed in China using a QuEChERS method coupled with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: Analytical methods and occurrence.
- Source :
-
Food Control . May2023, Vol. 147, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p. - Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Alternaria species are invasive fungi that infect fruits and vegetables and produce Alternaria toxins resulting in loss of commodity values and harmful effects on human health. To establish a reliable analytical method for Alternaria toxins in fruits, vegetables and their derivatives (e.g., fruit and vegetable juices, purees and jams; dried fruit and vegetables; fruit and vegetable powders), a QuEChERS extraction method was developed and validated for the determination of most reported Alternaria toxins (alternariol monomethyl ether [AME], alternariol [AOH], tentoxin [TEN], tenuazonic acid [TeA], and altenuene [ALT]). The limits of quantitation (LOQ) of the target analytes in food matrices were 1.0–5.0 μg/kg. The extraction recoveries were 73.0%–120%, with good repeatability (<12.9%) and within-laboratory repeatability (<14.7%). The developed method was applied to 270 fruits, vegetables, and their derivatives randomly collected from the market in China. Approximately 45.2% of the samples were contaminated with varying levels of Alternaria toxins. The lowest incidence of contamination by Alternaria toxins was detected in fruits and vegetables (3.6%), and the highest incidence was found in fruit and vegetable powders (60.6%). TeA exhibited the highest detection frequency (22.6%) and the highest level of occurrence level (639 μg/kg) among the tested samples, followed by AOH (14.1%), ALT (11.9%), AME (4.4%), and TEN (3.3%). Furthermore, the simultaneous co-presence of two to five Alternaria toxins was detected in 13.7% of the analyzed samples. The combination of AOH + TeA was the most predominant, accounting for 4.8% of samples. This study developed a reliable and sensitive analytical method and provided representative occurrence data to support the assessment of emerging mycotoxins, especially Alternaria toxins, in fruit and vegetable products. • A QuEChERs extraction method developed for Alternaria toxins determination. • Five Alternaria toxins surveyed in 270 fruit and vegetable products. • High incidence and levels of Alternaria toxins found in fruit and vegetable powders. • Puree and juice samples detected various types of co-occurrences of Alternaria toxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *LIQUID chromatography-mass spectrometry
*ALTERNARIA
*TOXINS
*PRODUCE markets
*FRUIT
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 09567135
- Volume :
- 147
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Food Control
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 161443032
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109563