Multiresidual LC-MS analysis of plasticizers used in PVC gaskets of lids and assessment of their migration into food sauces.

Plasticizers may migrate from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gaskets into the foodstuffs mainly by direct contact during the packaging and sterilization procedure, but also by means of occasional contacts occurring during shipment and storage. The present work reports a reliable liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method able to quantify the main plasticizers used in the PVC closure gaskets for metal lids to verify their compliance in both food contact materials and foodstuffs. The atmospheric pressure chemical ionization in the positive ion mode resulted the best performing interface for the multiresidual detection of the plasticizers taken into account, followed by selected/multiple reaction monitoring, selected ion monitoring or full scan experiments, depending on the compounds to detect. The method was single-laboratory validated, demonstrating to reach a good sensitivity, thus making possible to perform analysis without any preliminary sample purification or concentration step. It proved to be effectively applicable not only for the determination of plasticizers in PVC gaskets but also in complex food matrices. In particular, it was applied for monitoring plasticizer migration into sauces placed in contact with the lids in worst storage conditions, observing therefore their trend during the shelf-life. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Development and validation of a liquid chromatography/linear ion trap mass spectrometry method for the quantitative determination of deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside in processed cereal-derived products.

Cereal-based food can be frequently contaminated by the presence of mycotoxins derived from Fusarium fungus, and, in particular, by deoxynivalenol (DON). Nowadays, analytical strategies for the detection of DON are well developed, but there are gaps for what concerns a correct identification, quantification and toxicological evaluation of the respective metabolites, mainly related to detoxifying actions via plant metabolism or to processing technologies and also referred to as "masked" mycotoxins. Here, we report the development of a liquid chromatography/linear ion trap mass spectrometry method capable of determining deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (DON-3G), which is the main known DON metabolite, in different processed cereal-derived products. Samples were extracted with a mixture of methanol/water (80:20; v/v) and cleaned up using immunoaffinity columns. Chromatographic separation was performed using a core-shell C(18) column with an aqueous acetic acid/methanol mixture as the mobile phase under gradient conditions. The method was in-house validated on a bread matrix as follows: matrix-matched linearity (r(2)>0.99) was established in the range of 10-200 µg kg(-1); trueness expressed as recovery was close to 90%; good intermediate precision (overall RSD<9%) and adequate detection quantitation limits (4 and 11 µg kg(-1), respectively) were achieved. Furthermore, applying a metrology approach based on intralaboratory data, the estimated measurement expanded uncertainty was determined to be equal to 29%. The reliability of the method was finally demonstrated in bread, cracker, biscuit and minicake commodities, resulting in relatively low levels of DON-3G, which were not higher than 30 µg kg(-1).

Fate of Fusarium mycotoxins in the cereal product supply chain: the deoxynivalenol (DON) case within industrial bread-making technology.

Fusarium mycotoxins are a relevant problem in the cereal supply chain at a worldwide level, with wheat, maize and barley being the main contaminated crops. Mould growth can happen in the pre-harvest phase and also during transport and storage due to ineffective drying conditions. Among Fusarium toxins, deoxynivalenol (DON) is considered the most important contaminant in wheat due to its widespread occurrence. In the last years the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Commission have frequently expressed opinions on Fusarium toxins, setting limits, regulations and guidelines in order to reduce their levels in raw materials and food commodities. In particular, European legislation (Reg. 1881/2006) sets the maximum limit for DON in flour and bread as 750 and 500 microg kg(-1) respectively. Relatively few studies have taken into account the loss of trichothecenes during processing, focusing on how processing factors may influence their degradation. In particular, the description of DON behaviour during bread-making is very difficult, since complex physico-chemical modifications occur during the transformation of the raw ingredients into the final product. In the present study, we studied how DON concentration may be influenced by modifying bread-making parameters, with a special emphasis on the fermentation and baking stages, starting from a naturally contaminated flour at both pilot and industrial scales. Exploiting the power of a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach to consider the great complexity of the studied system, the obtained model shows satisfying goodness-of-fit and prediction, suggesting that the baking step (time/temperature ranges) is crucial for minimizing native DON level in bread.

Determination of food emulsifiers in commercial additives and food products by liquid chromatography/atmospheric-pressure chemical ionisation mass spectrometry.

A new, reliable liquid chromatography/atmospheric-pressure chemical ionisation mass spectrometry (LC-APCI-MS) method was developed for the quantitative determination of food emulsifiers composed of mono- and diacylglycerols of fatty acids (E471 series) in complex food matrices. These additives are extremely interesting for the food industry because of their useful properties. Indeed, they improve the manufacture of products by acting as foams and creams stabilisers, crumb-softeners, or antistaling agents. The proposed method also allows us to qualitatively characterise new food emulsifiers composed of other acid esters of mono- and diacylglycerols (E472 series). The validation of the method was performed on blank minicake spiked samples for detection limits (reaching ppm levels), linearity, recovery, precision, and accuracy. The method was then successfully applied to commercial additives containing mixtures of emulsifiers, as well as to food products such as margarines and minicakes.