LC-MS/MS mycotoxin analysis

Zbog klimatskih promjena koje uzrokuju temperaturne razlike i ekstreme te raznih kriza na području prehrambene industrije, sigurnost hrane koju konzumiramo izrazito je bitna. Kako bi osigurali sigurnu i zdravu hranu moramo biti upoznati sa svim kontaminantima koji se mogu pojaviti u hrani i uzrokovati nepovoljan učinak na ljudski i životinjski organizam. Mikotoksini su sekundarni metaboliti plijesni, male molekulske mase, štetni su za zdravlje ljudi i životinja u niskim koncentracijama (mg kg-1 body weight). They have wide spectrum of toxicity: they are neurotoxinc, teratogens, mutagens and immunotoxic. Their presence in food is inevitable and they are most commonly found in cereals. Methods used for analysis must be specific and selective and enable a quick and easy analysis of the contaminants. Therefore, LC-MS/MS method for mycotoxins analysis are increasingly used because they have proved to be comprehensive and sensitive. Before any method can be used, it needs to be validated. Validation determines if the method is fit for it’s purpose and that the mesured result has acceptable uncertainty. The basic validation parametars are accuracy, precision, selectivity, sensitivity, repeatability and stability. It is also adviceble to participate in interlaboratory comparison and to examine the influence of the matrix effect on mycotoxin analysis in order to ensure quality of results