Detection and determination of Alternaria mycotoxins in fruits and vegetables

VIRGINIA FERNÁNDEZ PINTO

Mycotoxins in fruits and vegetables

Elsevier

Lugar: San Diego USA; Año: 2008; p. 271 - 278

ABSTRACT Species of Alternaria are known to produce a great number of secondary metabolites, however only seven major toxins belonging to three different structural classes are known as possible food contaminants with a potential toxicological risk. These are:  alternariol (AOH), alternariol methyl ether (AME), altenuene (ALT), altertoxins I, II, and III (ALTX I; ALTX II, ALTX III), and tenuazonic acid (TA). Cleanup procedures of analytical methods include solid phase extraction for AOH, AME, ALT and ALTX I and solvent partition for TA. Alternaria mycotoxins have been determined by TLC, GC and mainly by LC with ultraviolet detection.  Fluorescence and electrochemical detection have also been used. A Zn salt is usually added to the mobile phase. A technique that combine electrospray ionization (ESI) with negative ion detection and LC-MS-MS has overcome previous limitations of other analytical methods in terms of sensitivity and specificity and will provide a useful tool for the investigation of these toxins in fruit products. There are no international regulations for the Alternaria toxins in foods and whether the presence and co-occurrence of these metabolites constitute a problem in commercial products remains to be investigated.