Solid-phase extraction and HPLC determination of patulin in apple juice concentrate

Solid-phase extraction (SPE) pretreatment method was used to determine the patulin in apple juice concentrate. Undiluted apple juice concentrate was treated by C18-SPE cartridge and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using UV detector. The recovery rates and the coefficient variations were 96.4–114.1% and 1.62–4.82%, the minimum detectable level is 0.005 mg/kg. The method is fast, easy, reliable, and inexpensive; it is applicable to the analysis and control patulin in the course of apple juice concentrate processing and its commercial products.