Application of QuEChERS-HPLC method for the analysis of aflatoxins in cereal-based foods.
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Date
2025-06-15
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Publisher
Ambrose Alli University Journal of Physical & Applied Sciences
Abstract
This study presents the determination of aflatoxins B1, B2, GI and G2 in cereal-based food (semolina) using QuEChERS extraction. Placket-Burman design was employed to screen significant factors of QuEChERS, while central composite design (CCD) was used to optimized significant factors. The validation of analytical methodology determined using optimized parameters gave average recoveries at two spiking levels ranging from 98.22 to 104.85 % for semolina samples stored at room temperature and 99.02 to 105.64 % for samples stored in the refrigerator. Linearity was found between 1 – 40 µg/kg with a correlation coefficient greater than 0.99 and the LOD and LOQ ranges from 0.1810 – 1.1769 µg/kg and 0.6033 – 3.9230 µg/kg, respectively. Analysis of samples of two different brands of semolina (Mama Gold and Golden Penny) showed that, samples were contaminated with all the target aflatoxins at both storage conditions. Golden penny contained aflatoxin B1 at a concentration of 6.4565 µg/kg at day 1, while it was found at a concentration of 11.9752 µg/kg when stored for 21 days at room temperature. Aflatoxin B2 was found to increase from 7.5615 µg/kg at day 1 to 9.6744 µg/kg at day 21, while aflatoxin G1 increased from 8.5672 µg/kg to 9.0974 µg/kg and aflatoxin G2 from 4.7278 µg/kg at day 1 to 8.9562 µg/kg at day 21. A similar trend was found for Mama gold, with aflatoxin B1 from 8.4569 µg/kg to 11.9752 µk/kg, aflatoxin B2 from 8.7653 µg/kg to 11.6815 µg/kg, aflatoxin G1 from 9.5621 to 12.0987 µg/kg and G2 6.5682 11.7862 µg/kg. It was found that storing the food samples in the refrigerator reduced the growth of aflatoxin, with the reduction observed in the concentration of aflatoxins within days.