QuEChERS Extraction and HPLC-FLD Determination of Ochratoxin A in Cereals and Cereal Products

Abstract

A new method for the determination and analysis of ochratoxin A (OTA) in cereals and cereal products, based on the use of the QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) procedure, enhanced with a high performance liquid chromatography-coupled to a fluorescence detector has been developed. Chromatographic separation was performed within 4 min using a reversed-phase C₁₈ 15 cm column at 30 ºC and an isocratic mobile phase composed of 6 % acetic acid in water/acetonitrile 25:75 (%, v/v). The optimal extraction mixture of ochratoxin A compound from cereal extracts was determined by mixture and response surface methodology. Extraction with 20:70:10 (%, v/v) water/acetonitrile/acetic acid offered good validation parameters with a recovery exceeding 85 %, coupled with limits of detection and limits of quantification within the legal limits as set by the European Union.