Determination of mycotoxins in plant-based beverages using QuEChERS and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract

A method was developed for the simultaneous determination of 11 mycotoxins in plant-based beverage matrices, using a QuEChERS extraction followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry detection (UHPLC-(ESI)MS/MS). This multi-mycotoxin method was applied to analyse plant-based beverages such as soy, oat and rice. QuEChERS extraction was applied obtaining suitable extraction recoveries between 80 and 91%, and good repeatability and reproducibility values. Method Quantification Limits were between 0.05μgL^-1 (for aflatoxin G₁ and aflatoxin B₁) and 15μgL^-1 (for deoxynivalenol and fumonisin B₂). This is the first time that plant-based beverages have been analysed, and certain mycotoxins, such as deoxynivalenol, aflatoxin B₁, aflatoxin B₂, aflatoxin G₁, aflatoxin G₂, ochratoxin A, T-2 toxin and zearalenone, were found in the analysed samples, and some of them quantified between 0.1μgL^-1 and 19μgL^-1.

Keywords: Mycotoxin; Plant-based beverages; QuEChERS; UHPLC–(ESI)MS/MS.