Development of a sensitive simultaneous analytical method for 26 targeted mycotoxins in coix seed and Monte Carlo
Chuiwei Liu1, Weisheng Xu2, Lei Ni3
1Fujian Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Fujian Institute of Preventive Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research), Fuzhou 350012, Fujian, China; Xiamen University (School of Public Health), Xiamen 361005, Fujian, China; Sanyuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Sanming 365000, Fujian, China.
Abstract:
Coix seed, a versatile agricultural product, is known for its nutritional and functional components. However, the common contamination with mycotoxins represents a potential risk for human health. A sensitive analytical method was developed and validated to simultaneously determine 26 mycotoxins, including regulated and emerging, using stable-isotope-dilution-assay and LC-MS/MS. The study found co-contamination in 100% of samples from Southeast China, with 8-15 different mycotoxins for each and a total of 20 for all. Probabilistic risk assessments indicated long-term health concerns, with Aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A, and zearalenone being priority for risk control. Overall, this study appears to be the first to develop a rapid and robust analytical method of 26 mycotoxins and to conduct Monte Carlo simulation-based chronic risk assessments for 12 individual mycotoxins detected in coix seed, which would be of significance for risk communication as well as for regulatory authority in devising effective strategies to minimize exposure health risk.
