Optimizing sweet potato production: insights into the interplay of plant sanitation, virus influence, and cooking techniques for enhanced crop quality and food security.

This study investigates the impact of sweet potato plant sanitation on the yield and external and internal quality root storage exploring the nutritional content affected by various cooking methods (raw, boiled, and oven-cooked). The presence of viruses, and concretely of the sweet potato leaf curl virus (SPLCV), in sweet potato propagation material is shown to significantly reduce yield and modify storage root quality. Notably, the research reveals a substantial improvement in crop yield and external quality, reinforcing the efficacy of plant sanitation methods, specifically apical meristem culture, in preserving the overall productivity of sweet potato crops. Furthermore, the investigation identifies a noteworthy decrease in starch content, suggesting a dynamic interaction between plant sanitation and starch metabolism in response to viral diseases. The study also delves into the alteration of mineral absorption patterns, shedding light on how plant sanitation influences the uptake of essential minerals in sweet potato storage roots. While the health status of the plants only slightly affected magnesium (Mg) and manganese (Mn) accumulation, indicating a potential resilience of mineral balance under virus-infected conditions. Moreover, the research identifies significant modifications in antioxidant levels, emphasizing the role of plant sanitation in enhancing the nutritional quality of sweet potatoes. Heat-treated storage roots, subjected to various cooking methods such as boiling and oven-cooking, exhibit notable differences in internal quality parameters. These differences include increased concentrations of total soluble solids (SS) and heightened levels of antioxidant compounds, particularly phenolic and flavonoid compounds. The observed increase in antioxidant capacity underscores the potential health-promoting benefits associated with plant sanitation practices. Overall, the study underscores the critical importance of plant sanitation in enhancing sweet potato production sustainability, contributing to food security, and supporting local agricultural economies. The results emphasize the need for further research to optimize plant sanitation methods and promote their widespread adoption globally, providing valuable insights into the complex relationships in food quality.

Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-tandem mass spectrometry for the analysis of benzimidazole compounds in milk samples.

In this work the atmospheric pressure ionization behavior and the tandem mass spectrometry fragmentation of 19 benzimidazoles was studied. Several atmospheric pressure ionization (API) sources (ESI, APCI and APPI) were evaluated showing that APCI was the best option, mainly for KETO-TCB that provided a 20 times improvement versus ESI. From the studies of tandem mass spectrometry, fragmentation pathways were proposed thus characterizing the most abundant and interesting product ions and selecting the most abundant and selective ones for the confirmatory quantitative method performed in SRM mode in a triple quadrupole mass analyzer. For quantitative analysis, the 19 benzimidazoles were separated in less than 7 min using a C18 column packed with superficially porous particles providing high efficiency within the range of UHPLC. A QuEChERS-like sample treatment was applied to milk samples before the UHPLC-APCI-MS/MS determination providing method limits of quantitation that ranged from 0.6 to 3 µg kg(-1) and showing good repeatability (RSD: 2-18%) and accuracy (relative errors: 1-23%) suitable for using this method for routine analysis.

Field amplified sample injection-capillary zone electrophoresis for the analysis of amprolium in eggs.

Veterinary medicines are widely administered to farm animals since they keep animals healthy at overcrowded conditions. Nevertheless the continuous administration of medicines to farm animals can frequently lead to the presence of residues of veterinary drugs in consumption products. Amprolium is a quaternary ammonium compound used in the treatment of coccidiosis. In this paper, a method based on CZE to analyze residues of amprolium in eggs was developed and validated for the first time. Parameters such as electrolyte type, concentration, and pH were optimized. In order to improve sensitivity, field-amplified sample injection (FASI) was used for in-line preconcentration after a quick and simple sample treatment based on SPE (Envi-Carb). During method-validation studies using egg samples, a matrix interference was found at the migration time of amprolium. This compound was identified as thiamine and confirmed by MS(n) experiments using CE coupled to MS (CE-MS) with an ion-trap mass analyzer. CZE conditions were reoptimized to separate thiamine from amprolium allowing the quantification of amprolium in eggs at concentrations down to 75 µg/kg, which are far below the MRL-legislated values.

Direct analysis in real time high-resolution mass spectrometry for high-throughput analysis of antiparasitic veterinary drugs in feed and food.

RATIONALE: Direct analysis in real time (DART) is a novel ionization technique that has been demonstrated in numerous applications as a useful tool for fast and convenient mass spectrometry (MS)-based analysis of complex samples. In this study, the feasibility of DART ionization coupled to a high-resolution mass spectrometer utilizing an orbitrap mass analyzer (orbitrap MS) for high-throughput analysis of antiparasitic veterinary drugs was explored. METHODS: To obtain the best DART-orbitrap MS performance, stepwise optimization of instrumental parameter settings, such as ionization gas temperature and mass resolving power, was performed. The optimized method was applied to feed and bovine milk samples previously extracted following a QuEChERS-like strategy. RESULTS: Most antiparasitic drugs could be analyzed following the described method. Positive DART ionization provided the protonated molecules [M+H](+); in negative DART ion mode, deprotonated molecules [M-H](-) were observed. As an exception, polyether ionophores could be observed as the sodiated adducts [M+Na](+). Samples of milk and feed were extracted using a modified QuEChERS method for the determination of benzimidazoles and coccidiostats respectively and quantification was carried out by matrix-matched calibration curves. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of an analysis time of less than 1 min per sample and the possibility to acquire accurate masses under high mass resolving power (HR) makes the DART-HRMS technique an effective tool for rapid qualitative screening of antiparasitic veterinary drugs. Additionally, the results obtained in this study demonstrated the feasibility of this approach to quantify target analytes at levels down to 1 µg kg(-1) for benzimidazolic compounds in milk and 0.25 mg kg(-1) for coccidiostats in chicken feed.

Analysis of amprolium by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

We present a fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the analysis of the coccidiostat amprolium in food samples. Tandem mass spectrometry in a triple quadrupole was used for quantitative purposes, and the information from multiple-stage mass spectrometry in an ion-trap mass analyzer contributed to fragmentation studies. Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) in a Fused-Core column using isocratic elution (acetonitrile:formic acid/ammonium formate buffer pH 4, 50 mM (60:40)) successfully analyzed this compound in less than 3 min. The HILIC system was coupled to heated electrospray-MS/MS using highly selective-selected reaction monitoring (H-SRM) to improve sensitivity and selectivity for the analysis of amprolium, after a simple sample treatment based on an "extract and shoot" strategy. Accurate mass measurements were performed to identify the interfering compound responsible for causing matrix ion enhancement in the signal of amprolium. The addition of l-carnitine (the interfering compound) (1 microg L(-1)) to standards and sample extracts allowed the use of the external calibration method for quantitative purposes. The LC-MS/MS (H-SRM) method showed good precision (relative standard deviation, RSD, lower than 13%), accuracy and linearity and allowed the determination of amprolium down to the ppb level (LODs between 0.1 and 0.6 microg kg(-1)).

Fast liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (highly selective selected reaction monitoring) for the determination of toltrazuril and its metabolites in food.

In this work a fast liquid chromatography (LC)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method was developed for the analysis of toltrazuril, a coccidiostatic drug, and its metabolites in meat food products. The applicability of atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and heated electrospray ionization in both positive and negative modes was studied. APCI in negative mode provided the best results and the base peak originated from the loss of CF(3) (toltrazuril and toltrazuril sulfone) and CHF(3)* (toltrazuril sulfoxide) was used as the precursor ion in MS/MS. A fast LC separation on a C(18) Fused-Core column was used together with the APCI-MS/MS method developed using enhanced mass resolution mode (highly selective selected reaction monitoring, H-SRM) to improve the sensitivity and selectivity for the analysis of these compounds in food samples. A simple sample treatment based on an extraction with acetonitrile and a cleanup with a C(18) cartridge was used. The LC-MS/MS (H-SRM) method showed good precision (relative standard deviation lower than 10%), accuracy, and linearity and allowed the determination of these compounds in food samples down to the parts per billion level (limits of detection between 0.5 and 5 microg kg(-1)).

Fast liquid chromatography/multiple-stage mass spectrometry of coccidiostats.

Drugs that are used as medicines and also as growth promoters in veterinary care are considered as emerging environmental contaminants and in recent years concern about their potential risk to ecosystems and human health has risen. In this paper we used a method based on liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry to analyze eight coccidiostatic compounds: diclazuril, dinitrocarbanilide (the main metabolite of nicarbazin), robenidine, lasalocid, monensin, salinomycin, maduramicin and nasarin. Multiple-stage mass spectrometry (MSn) based on the precursor ions [M+Na]+ (polyether ionophores), [M+H]+ (robenidine) and [M-H]- (diclazuril and dinitrocarbanilide) was used to study the fragmentation of these compounds. MSn data and genealogical relationships were used to propose a tentative assignment of the different fragment ions. Loss of water, decarboxylations, ketone beta-cleavages and rearrangement of cyclic ethers and amide groups were some of the fragmentations observed for these compounds. Liquid chromatography with a sub-2 microm particle size column was coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) allowing the separation of these compounds in less than 7 min. Method detection limits ranging from 11 to 71 ng L(-1) and run-to-run values in terms of relative standard deviation (RSD) (up to 12%) were obtained.