An Overview of Testing for Mycotoxins and Plant Toxins in Food Using LC-MS/MS

Importance of the Topic

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by fungi in crops and can persist through harvesting, storage, and processing, causing acute and chronic health effects in both humans and animals. Plant toxins, either inherent in edible plants or introduced via weed contamination, further complicate food safety monitoring. Rigorous analysis is essential to uphold regulatory standards, protect public health, and avoid economic losses in the food and feed industries.

Objectives and Study Overview

This article reviews the application of liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry to detect multiple mycotoxins and plant toxins in food matrices. It covers regulatory drivers, the need for multi-toxin screening, and the benefits of streamlined workflows for compliance and risk assessment.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Sample preparation strategies balance representativeness and simplicity:

• Homogenization by grinding or slurry formation to ensure uniform extracts
• Generic extraction with acidified acetonitrile or methanol mixtures (e.g., QuEChERS variants)
• Clean-up options including immunoaffinity columns, solid-phase extraction (trap-and-elute, pass-through), dispersive SPE, and dilute-and-shoot approaches

Chromatographic separation employs ultraperformance liquid chromatography with sub-2 µm particle columns to achieve rapid, high-resolution analysis. Tandem quadrupole mass spectrometers operating in multiple reaction monitoring mode provide high sensitivity and selectivity. Technologies such as MaxPeak HPS minimize carryover, while stable isotope-labelled standards and matrix-matched calibration mitigate matrix effects.

Main Results and Discussion

The optimized UPLC-MS/MS workflow demonstrated robust retention time stability (±0.1 min) and baseline separation for most analytes. Carryover was effectively managed through specialized wash solvents and inert flow-path materials. RADAR acquisition revealed co-extractives and guided clean-up choices, balancing throughput and analytical integrity. Automated exception-focused data review improved consistency and reduced bottlenecks in large batch analyses.

Benefits and Practical Applications

Key advantages include:

• Simultaneous quantification of regulated, emerging, and modified mycotoxins and plant toxins
• Enhanced specificity and sensitivity to meet global maximum limits
• Reduced sample preparation time and solvent usage
• Increased laboratory throughput via rapid UPLC separations and automated data processing
• Support for due diligence testing and regulatory compliance in food and feed industries

Future Trends and Applications

Emerging directions encompass:

• Adapting methods to address climate-driven shifts in mycotoxin prevalence
• Expansion of regulations to include novel, modified, and co-occurring toxins
• Integration of high-resolution mass spectrometry for comprehensive screening
• Advanced automation and informatics for real-time decision support
• Greener sample preparation and reduced-solvent technologies to enhance sustainability

Conclusion

LC-MS/MS combined with tailored sample preparation and UPLC technology delivers a versatile platform for reliable, high-throughput mycotoxin and plant toxin analysis. Efficient clean-up, robust chromatography, and automated data review enable laboratories to meet stringent regulatory demands, safeguard public health, and optimize operational efficiency.

Reference

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