Mycotoxin determination in non conventional matrices: development of mass spectrometry based analytical methods

Mycotoxins are low-molecular-weight natural products produced, as secondary metabolites, by filamentous fungi. These molecules represent a wide chemical group with different toxicity effects in human and other animals. These toxins can accidentally occur in food and feed, due to a direct or indirect contamination. The aim of this work was to develop a method for the first time to quantitatively determine zearalenone and its metabolites (α-zearalenol, β-zearalenol, α-zearalanol, β-zearalanol, zearalanone) in bovine and human hair using LC-MS/MS. Once the method was set-up for bovine hair, it was successfully validated according to Decision 657/2002/CE on three analytes, with satisfying performances. Moreover the applicability of the method was tested on human hair in a one-day validation with reasonable performances. This method could be a useful tool to evaluate natural feed contamination or detect illegal use of α- zearalanol in bovines and to perform a first inventory of the occurrence of these molecules in bovine and human hair, as biomarkers for zearalenone exposure in future studies. Another purpose of this work was to make a preliminary screening on mycotoxins contamination (aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin B2, aflatoxin G1, aflatoxin G2, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, fumonisin B1, fumonisin B2, ochratoxin, T-2 toxin and HT-2 toxin) in different pet food types for cats. This research showed that mycotoxin occurrence in pet food for cats can represent an issue to put under control. Since pets are fed with the same type of pet food for long periods of their life, the necessity of evaluating mycotoxin presence in feed is evident.