Development of a SIDA-LC-MS/MS Method for the Determination of Phomopsin A in Legumes

A novel method for the determination of phomopsin A (1) in lupin flour, pea flour, and bean flour as well as whole lupin plants was established based on stable isotope dilution assay (SIDA) LC-MS/MS using (15)N6-1 as an isotopically labeled internal standard. Artificially infected samples were used to develop an optimized extraction procedure and sample pretreatment. The limits of detection were 0.5-1 μg/kg for all matrices. The limits of quantitation were 2-4 μg/kg. The method was used to analyze flour samples generated from selected legume seeds and lupin plant samples that had been inoculated with Diaporthe toxica and two further fungal strains. Finally, growing lupin plants infected with D. toxica were investigated to simulate a naturally in-field mycotoxicosis. Toxin levels of up to 10.1 μg/kg of 1 were found in the pods and 7.2 μg/kg in the stems and leaves.