Study on mycotoxin contamination in South African food spices

A validated QuEChERS-based method was used to investigate the occurrence of mycotoxins in 70 South African food spices [coarse chilli (n=14), ground chilli (n=4), paprika (n=7), ginger (n=5), chicken spices (n=8), onion spices (n=8), beef spices (n=5), Mexican chilli (n=9), vegetable spice (n=1), fruit chutney spices (n=4), and cheese spices (n=5)]. Mycotoxins were quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Results revealed that 40% of the samples were contaminated with aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin G1, ochratoxin A, sterigmatocystin, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, fumonisin B1, fumonisin B2 and/or roquefortine C. The contamination levels for aflatoxin B1 ranged from 3-19 μg/kg; aflatoxin G1, 10-11 μg/kg; ochratoxin A, 4-20 μg/kg; fumonisin B1 104-591 μg/kg; fumonisin B2, 64-5,897 μg/kg; sterigmatocystin, 11-18 μg/kg; 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, 42-46 μg/kg; and roquefortine C, 17-57 μg/kg. Mycotoxins co-occurred in 11% of the spice samples. Amongst the samples analysed in this study, paprika had the highest positives (100%) for the determined mycotoxins. Previous reports on mycotoxin contamination in spices, focused on the incidence of aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, but not on the multi-mycotoxin profile in South African spices. This study thus provides a comprehensive assessment of mycotoxin contamination of spices in South Africa.

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Animal feeding stuffs: Methods of sampling and analysis - Screening and determination of authorized coccidiostats at additive and 1 % and 3 % cross-contamination levels, and of non-registered coccidiostats and of one antibiotic at sub-additive levels, in compound feed with High Performance Liquid Chromatography - Tandem Mass Spectrometry detection (LC-MS/MS)

10.3403/30348301 ◽

2019 ◽

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

High Performance ◽

Tandem Mass ◽

Cross Contamination ◽

Mass Spectrometry Detection ◽

Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry ◽

Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽

Animal Feeding ◽

Contamination Levels

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Determination of Ochratoxin A in Wine by Immunoaffinity Cleanup and Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x-71.5.1038 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 71 (5) ◽

pp. 1038-1042 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

SHIGEKUNI NOBA ◽

MASAYUKI OMOTE ◽

YASUSHI KITAGAWA ◽

NAOKI MOCHIZUKI

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Liquid Chromatography ◽

Tandem Mass Spectrometry ◽

Ochratoxin A ◽

Tandem Mass ◽

Immunoaffinity Column ◽

White Wines ◽

Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry ◽

Relative Standard ◽

Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass

A simple and accurate method has been developed for determining ochratoxin A (OTA), using an immunoaffinity column for cleanup and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry for identification and quantification. Wine samples were diluted with a solution containing polyethylene glycol 8000 and sodium hydrogen carbonate, filtered through a glass microfiber filter, and cleaned up on an immunoaffinity column. OTA was then eluted with methanol–acetic acid (98:2) and analyzed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The average recoveries of OTA from red and white wines were 95 and 96.7% (spiked OTA level was 0.05 ng/ml) and repeatabilities (relative standard deviation) were 3.8 and 2.4%, respectively. The detection limit was 0.0003 ng/ml based on the signal-to-noise ratio in wine of 3:1. Analysis of 74 samples of domestic and imported wines showed OTA levels ranging from <0.0003 to 0.82 ng/ml, with an incidence of contamination of 92.1% for red wines, and <0.0003 to 0.51 ng/ml, with an incidence of contamination of 77.8% for white wines. These detection rates were higher than those rates of past reports of OTA contamination in wine, due to the high sensitivity of this method. However, all samples analyzed in this study complied with European Union regulations. It is concluded that this method is a useful tool for the quality assurance of wine.

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