Occurrence of fourteen mycotoxins in tiger-nuts

A previous developed matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) extraction method was applied for the routine analysis of aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), fumonisins (FB1 and FB2), beauvericin (BEA), nivalenol (NIV), deoxynivalenol (DON), the toxin T-2 (T-2), toxin HT-2 (HT-2), diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) and zearalenone (ZEN) in tiger-nuts by liquid chromatography-triple-quadrupole linear ion trap (HPLC-QTRAP®). The extraction solid support used was C18, while the elution solvent was acetonitrile/methanol (50/50, v/v) 1 mM ammonium formate. Using matrix-matched calibration, recoveries and repeatabilities were in the range 67-89% and 2-11% relative standard deviation (RSD), respectively. The method was applied to determine the occurrence of the fourteen selected mycotoxins in a total of 83 tiger-nut samples purchased from different local markets of Valencian Community (Spain) during (March-June 2010 and March-May 2011). DON, OTA, AFs and BEA were detected in 26 samples of the total number of samples.

► First multi-mycotoxin monitoring in tiger-nuts. ► The validated method was applied on monitoring programme under strict quality assurance during two years (2010-2011). ► The analytical methodology developed was efficiently used to control 14 mycotoxins in tiger-nuts. ► The results highlight the importance to monitor the presence of mycotoxins in tiger-nuts.