Determination of contaminants in turmeric: Validation of LC-HRMS methods for the determination of pesticides and mycotoxins

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is extensively used for culinary, medicinal, and cosmetic purposes and as a dietary supplement. Mycotoxins and pesticides could contaminate turmeric, affecting the quality of turmeric products and becoming a health risk for consumers. The residuality of these contaminants is restricted and requires low quantification limits that comply with regulations' acceptance levels. Turmeric's matrix complexity and the assortment of target pollutants require special sample treatment. We employed two cleaning agents from the UNE-EN 15662 Standard and validated LC-HRMS analytical methods for 195 pesticides and five mycotoxins. The achieved quantification limits were under 4 mu g kg-1 for mycotoxins and 10 mu g kg-1 for pesticides, complying with regulation's requirements. The recovery values ranged between 70 and 120 %, with relative standard deviations below 20 %.

Automated summary

Turmeric, widely used for different purposes, may contain mycotoxins and pesticides, which can contaminate the products and pose a health risk to consumers. Due to the complexity of turmeric and the variety of pollutants, special sample treatment is required. In this study, LC-HRMS analytical methods were used to analyze 195 pesticides and five mycotoxins in turmeric, achieving quantification limits below 4 μg/kg for mycotoxins and 10 μg/kg for pesticides, meeting regulatory requirements. The recovery values ranged from 70% to 120%, with relative standard deviations below 20%.