Development of a multicomponent method for Fusarium toxins using LC-MS/MS and its application during a survey for the content of T-2 toxin and deoxynivalenol in various feed and food samples

A reliable, sensitive and selective method was developed to determine different Fusarium mycotoxins ( trichothecenes Type A and B, zearalenone) simultaneously in cereals and cereal- based samples using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry ( LC- ESI- MS/ MS). Sample preparation is based on a standard solvent extraction step followed by two different kinds of solid- phase clean- up procedures: using a multifunctional MycoSep (R) material for trichothecenes and zearalenone. The average recoveries for trichothecenes ranged from 65% for nivalenol ( NIV) up to 96% for deoxynivalenol ( DON) and 89% for zearalenone ( ZON). The limit of quantification varied between 0.02 and 10 ppb for each substance. In addition, a screening survey with 685 samples was carried out to compare contents of T- 2 toxin and deoxynivalenol and to investigate potential coherence in contamination pattern.