T-2 and HT-2 toxins in feed and food from Southern Italy, determined by LC-MS/MS after immunoaffinity clean-up

Abstract

A method to determine T-2 and HT-2 toxins, both in feed and food, is described. The method is based on sample clean-up by immunoaffinity columns, followed by triple quadrupole LC-MS/MS determination. It was in-house validated in compliance with the European Union legislation, in the concentration range 5.0-750 µg kg^-1 and accredited according to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard, for the scope of official control of feed and food. The method was applied to monitor the contamination levels of T-2 and HT-2 toxins in 105 feed samples, both raw materials and compound feed and 17 cereals and derived products for human consumption, collected in Southern Italy between 2015 and 2019. T-2 toxin was quantified in 32 feed (30.5%) and in 2 food samples (11.8%). HT-2 toxin was quantified in 65 feed (61.9%) and in 3 food (17.6%) samples.