Fast and efficient immunoaffinity column cleanup and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantitative analysis of aflatoxins in baby food and feeds

Abstract

An ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method has been developed for the highly sensitive and selective determination of regulated aflatoxins. The extraction of aflatoxins from baby food matrices were performed using liquid-liquid extraction procedure followed by immunoaffinity column cleanup. The higher sensitivity for the determination of target aflatoxins was fulfilled by applying a preconcentration step with immunoaffinity columns after acetonitrile-water extraction. The enhanced selectivity was attained with the triple quadrupole mass analyzer operated in electrospray positive ionization mode. Method validation was tested in five different baby food matrices by recovery experiments. Satisfactory recoveries, between 92 and 103%, with relative standard deviations lower than 8% were achieved in all the tested matrices. The proposed method was found to be specific as no interference peaks were observed for blank samples. The limit of detection of the method was found to be in the range of 0.003-0.008 ng/mL. The validated method was fruitfully applied to the screening of aflatoxins in baby foods and feeds sample retailed in local markets of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The obtained levels of all analyzed aflatoxins were below the regulation limits set by European Agency.