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- Mycotoxins (3) (entfernen)
Mycotoxins cause a variety of mold-related health risks which makes it necessary to further examine their metabolic pathways in human and other mammals. Beside standard in vitro assays with liver cell microsomes an increasing interest in new and rapid simulation techniques are playing a growing role in mycotoxin research.
Herein, the coupling of electrochemistry with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (EC/LC/MS) is presented as fast and simple method to investigate the oxidative fate of mycotoxins. For this case study, two food relevant mycotoxins (zearalenone and citrinin) were selected. Experiments were performed by using an electrochemical flow through cell integrated in the flow path of the autosampler of the chromatographic system. The reaction mixture was separated by a RP-C18 column and analyzed by a single quadrupole MS (Figure 1). Oxidation products were generated by applying potentials of 400, 800, 1200 and 1600 mV vs Pd/H2 using a glassy carbon working electrode. Different oxidation reactions like hydroxylation, dehydrogenation and dimerization lead to a diverse product pattern of the investigated mycotoxins.
In a comparative study, electrochemical generated reaction products were compared with metabolites produced by human and rat liver microsomes in vitro. The obtained data show that EC/LC/MS is a versatile and promising tool in mycotoxin research to support metabolic investigations of known and unknown mycotoxins.
Mycotoxins occur widely in foodstuffs and cause a variety of mold-related health risks to humans and animals. Elucidation of the metabolic fate of mycotoxins and the growing number of newly discovered mycotoxins have enhanced the demand for fast and reliable simulation methods. The viability of electrochemistry coupled with mass spectrometry (EC/ESI-MS), Fenton-like oxidation, and UV irradiation for the simulation of oxidative phase I metabolism of the mycotoxins citrinin (CIT) and dihydroergocristine (DHEC) was investigated. The specific reaction products are compared with metabolites produced by human and rat liver microsomes in vitro. Depending on the applied potential between 0 and 2000 mV vs. Pd/H-2 by using a flow-through cell, CIT and DHEC are oxidized to various products. Besides dehydrogenation and dealkylation reactions, several hydroxylated DHEC and CIT species are produced by EC and Fenton-like reaction, separated and analyzed by LC-MS/MS and ESI-HRMS. Compared to reaction products from performed microsomal incubations, several mono- and dihydroxylated DHEC species were found to be similar to the reaction products of EC, Fenton-like reaction, and UV-induced oxidation. Consequentially, nonmicrosomal efficient and economic simulation techniques can be useful in early-stage metabolic studies, even if one-to-one simulation is not always feasible.
Development of analytical method and certified reference material for zearalenone in edible oils
(2017)
Quality and safety of food products require their reliable analysis. Contaminants, in particular mycotoxins, are key-components for food safety. About 25 % of the world's food crops are contaminated with mycotoxins posing a severe health risk to humans. In order to strengthen food safety and consumer protection the European Commission (EC) set maximum levels for priority mycotoxins in certain foods for human consumption. In 2013, the EC and CEN (European Committee for Standardization) started an initiative to standardize analytical methods for mycotoxins in food which gained increasing relevance, e.g. zearalenone (ZEN).[1] ZEN, an estrogenic mycotoxin produced by several Fusarium species, contaminates cereal crops worldwide. Due to its lipophilic nature ZEN is often found in edible oils (particularly in maize germ oils) derived from contaminated plants. Therefore, an European maximum level of 400 µg/kg is currently in force.[2] To perform reliable food analysis a sustainable metrological infrastructure is of major importance enabling the quantification of priority mycotoxins (here: ZEN). To achieve this goal an integrated approach is needed targeted at the development of validated analytical methods and certified reference materials (CRM).
A highly selective method for ZEN in edible oils will be presented, based on solid phase extraction (SPE) using hydrazine-functionalized particles. This method was developed for manual application using commercial SPE cartridges as well as for automated SPE-HPLC online coupling. While ZEN is covalently coupled to the solid phase by means of a hydrazone bond, undesired matrix components can be removed very efficiently. Finally, ZEN is decoupled from the solid phase, leading to highly purified extracts which are measured by HPLC-FLD.
The development of the first European Reference Material (ERM®) for ZEN in maize germ oil (ERM®-BC715) will be presented and discussed. This ERM®-project underpins the urgent need for mycotoxin-CRMs to support food safety and public health.
[1] European Commission (EC) Mandate M/520 (2013) for standardisation addressed to CEN for methods of analysis for mycotoxins in food. [2] Commission Regulation (EC) No 1126/2007 amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs as regards Fusarium toxins in maize and maize products.