Development and validation of stable isotope dilution LC–MS/MS method for simultaneous quantification of four Alternaria toxins in 15 food commodities.

Alternaria toxins (ATs) are produced from Alternaria species that result in crop losses and harmful impacts on human health. A stable isotope dilution LC–MS/MS method was established to quantify four ATs in 15 food commodities: alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), tentoxin (TEN), and tenuazonic acid (TeA). Based on systematically optimization of detection conditions and pre-processing steps, the limits of detection and limits of quantification of the four ATs ranged from 0.1 to 10 μg/kg and 0.2 to 30 μg/kg, respectively. The results showed that the recoveries of the four ATs were 72.0%–119.1%. The intra-precision and inter-precision ranged from 0.7% to 11.1% and 1.1% to 13.1%, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the determination of four ATs in 35 food samples, suggesting that this method could provide meaningful occurrence data to support the assessment of emerging ATs in food commodities. • A new method for the quantification of four Alternaria toxins on diverse food matrices was developed. • A solid phase extraction method was optimized on 15 food commodities screening. • The susceptibility of raw-food material and their derivatives to ATs contamination were confirmed. • High incidence and levels of TeA and TEN were found in 35 food samples screening. • TeA contents were high in dried wolfberry, dried chilli, sunflower seed, tomato sauces and wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]