Analytical approaches for the determination of pesticide residues in nutraceutical products and related matrices by chromatographic techniques coupled to mass spectrometry

• Determination of pesticide residues in nutraceuticals has been reviewed.
• Extraction and determination techniques have been discussed.
• LC and GC coupled to MS detection are most applied for pesticide separation.
• Pesticides were reported in literature in medicinal plants and processed materials.

A review of sample preparation and analytical techniques currently used to analyze pesticides in nutraceutical products is shown. Different sample treatments are commented, and the QuEChERS method is the most used (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe). For the chromatographic determination, gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (LC) are evaluated. Different detection modes are discussed, and simple quadrupole mass spectrometry (Q-MS) and triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (QqQ-MS/MS) are the most used. Finally, a review of the occurrence of pesticides (from the revised literature) in real samples is presented, evaluating several matrices, such as nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, medicinal plants, and fish oil. The occurrence of several pesticides was reported: γ-HCH (lindane), endosulfan, procymidone, azoxystrobin, p,p′-DDE, metalaxyl, quintozene, tolclofos-methyl, chlorpyrifos and hexachlorobenzene.