Targeted and non-targeted analysis of pesticides and aflatoxins in baby foods by liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometry

• Published in: Food control Vol. 139; p. 109072
• Main Authors: Prata, Rafaela, López-Ruiz, Rosalía, Petrarca, Mateus Henrique, Teixeira Godoy, Helena, Garrido Frenich, Antonia, Romero-González, Roberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2022
• Subjects: Baby food; Contaminants; LC-Q-Orbitrap-MS; QuEChERS; Residues; Suspect screening; Residues; Suspect screening; LC-Q-Orbitrap-MS; Contaminants; Baby food; QuEChERS
• ISSN: 0956-7135; 1873-7129
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109072

In this study, 21 pesticides and 4 aflatoxins were monitored in baby food marketed in Brazil, applying ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS). The quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction method combined with dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) clean-up was applied and primary secondary amine (PSA), octadecylsilane (C18) and C18 with silica coated with zirconium dioxide (Z-Sep+) were used during the clean-up stage. Suitable performance criteria, set by the SANTE/2020/12830 guidelines, were achieved, and therefore, all targeted analytes were successfully validated. The method was applied to the analysis of 50 baby food samples. Cypermethrin was detected at 10.3 μg kg−1 (above maximum residue level (MRL) established by the European Union (EU)). Furthermore, suspect screening analysis was performed for reliable identification of contaminants not included in this study such as other pesticides, mycotoxins, hormones, veterinary drugs and their metabolites. Finally 10 pesticides and one metabolite were detected, demonstrating the suitability of the proposed approach. •LC-HRMS was used to determine 21 pesticides and 4 aflatoxins in baby food.•Validated method with suitable values of linearity, trueness, precision and LOQs.•68% of the samples were contaminated with at least one targeted pesticide.•Cypermethrin was detected at a level that exceeded MRL established by EU.•10 parent compounds and one metabolite were detected by suspect screening.