Analysis of the isothiocyanates present in three Chinese Brassica vegetable seeds and their potential anticancer bioactivities

Epidemiological studies give evidence that high dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables has been associated with lower risk of cancer, this activity due to their content in glucosinolates (GL), which upon myrosinase hydrolysis release the corresponding isothiocyanates (ITCs). In this study, the isothiocyanates contents and the anticancer activity of ethyl acetate extracts from three kinds of Chinese Brassica vegetable seeds have been examined and analyzed. A correlation was found between the potency of anticancer activity and the amount of isothiocyanates in their extracts. Extracts followed by GC–MS analysis revealed that 3-BITC (3-butenyl isothiocyanate) was mainly found in Chinese kale contained 77.58 ± 7.28 mg/g (dry weight); AITC (allyl isothiocyanate), 3-BITC and iberverin were the predominant isothiocyanates in Oxheart cabbage contained 33.57 ± 3.94, 26.50 ± 1.92 and 22.77 ± 0.00 mg/g, respectively; 3-BITC and sulforaphane were found as the major isothiocyanates in broccoli contained 138.52 ± 3.42 and 49.77 ± 0.18 mg/g, respectively. The amount of total isothiocyanates in broccoli was twice higher than that in other two species. The anticancer activity of broccoli was the highest, and the IC₅₀ value of the extract inhibiting on the growth of A549, LAC, HELA and HepG₂ were 14.38 ± 0.35, 10.38 ± 0.34, 19.45 ± 1.72 and 26.75 ± 0.82 mg/g, respectively. The extracts of Chinese Brassica vegetable seeds have the potential in inducing cancer cells apoptosis by morphology observation. The results of this study got a new kind of Brassica vegetable seeds that could produce high content of isothiocyanates, which is important to preparation of anticancer food additives.     

Determination of Six Paraben Residues in Fresh-cut Vegetables Using QuEChERS with Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry

In this study, an optimized QuEChERS sample preparation method was developed to analyze residues of six parabens: methyl-, ethyl-, n-propyl-, isopropyl-, n-butyl-, and isobutylparaben in five fresh-cut vegetables (potato, broccoli, carrot, celery, and cabbage) with high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS). Homogenized samples were extracted using acetonitrile, and the extracts were cleaned with the novel sorbent multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). MWCNTs provided 84–94% removal of chlorophyll and lower matrix effects (MEs) compared to commonly used primary-secondary-amine (PSA) sorbent. Selected parabens were separated by HPLC with isocratic elution using acetonitrile and 0.1% (v/v) formic acid solution and determined by triple quadrupole MS/MS. The method validation results showed that recoveries were at 70–120% with RSDs <20%. Calibration curves showed linear responses of six parabens with R ² > 0.99. Fifty fresh-cut vegetable samples from different farmer markets in Beijing, China were collected to measure the paraben residues, and only one sample was tested positive with methylparaben concentration at 81 μg/kg.     

Aflatoxin content in cereal-legume blends on the Ghanaian market far exceeds the permissible limit

Cereals and legumes, the main ingredients used in the preparation of complementary foods in Ghana, have been associated with aflatoxin contamination. This study aimed to determine aflatoxin contamination levels in cereal-based complementary foods on the Ghanaian market. A cross-sectional survey design over a two-week period was used to sample 48 commercial complementary food brands on an as available-basis from supermarkets or mini-marts in all 10 regions of Ghana. A tablet-assisted aflatoxin mobile Assay (mReader) that uses Reveal Q+ test strips (Neogen Corporation) was used to quantify the level of aflatoxin in the samples. All samples were contaminated with aflatoxin. Concentrations in cereal-legume blends ranged from 1 to 1094 ppb while those in cereal-only samples ranged from 1 to 11.7 ppb. The lowest aflatoxin concentrations were recorded in samples from the Upper East region with a mean of 1.5 ppb (1 to 3.8 ppb) while the highest were in samples from the Central region with a mean concentration of 457 ppb (6.6–1094 ppb). Aflatoxin concentrations in approximately a third of the infant formulations sampled exceeded the acceptable standard of 20 ppb, some by a factor of over 5 (100 ppb), and may contribute to the perennial malnutrition (stunting and iron deficiency) prevalent among children in Ghana.     

Myrosinase activity and total glucosinolate content of cruciferous vegetables,and some properties of cabbage myrosinase in Taiwan

The myrosinase activity and total glucosinolates of 10 different cruciferous vegetables and some properties of cabbage (Brassica oleracea L var capitata L) myrosinase were investigated. Radish, cabbage and broccoli showed higher myrosinase activity than other samples. No correlation (P > 0–05) was found between myrosinase activity and total glucosinolates of cruciferous vegetables tested. Myrosinase activity for white cabbage was higher than red cabbage. An optimal pH of myrosinase activity was observed at pH 8–0 for both white and red cabbages. The myrosinase extracted from cabbage was more stable in neutral or alkaline pH. The optimal temperature of myrosinase activity for both cabbages was about 60°C, but the myrosinase activity was destroyed after heating at 70°C for 30 min. The myrosinase activities of both white and red cabbages were activated by 10 mM and 5 mM ascorbic acid, respectively.     

Glucose,fructose and sucrose content in broccoli,white cabbage and Portuguese cabbage grown in early and late seasons

Consumption of Portuguese cabbage and white cabbage is very high in Portugal, but diets including broccoli have been highly recommended owing to recognition of the health‐protective effects of secondary plant metabolites. Broccoli production is generally concentrated in the summer/winter season, but the demand for a fresh product throughout the year requires production in other seasons. Sugars might affect flavour and the acceptance of broccoli by consumers. This study reports the free fructose, glucose and sucrose content in primary and secondary inflorescences of 11 cultivars of broccoli, one white cabbage and four Portuguese cabbages grown in early (March–July) and late (August–January) seasons in the northern region of Portugal. On average the results show that the total free sugar content in the broccoli cultivars, except for cv Marathon, is significantly (P < 0.05) lower than in the other cabbages. Fructose was the major sugar in the three types of Brassica, representing between 48.8 and 56.9% of the total sugar content in broccoli cvs Marathon and Senshi respectively and between 48.7% (cv Mirandela) and 53.8% (cv Murciana) in the other cabbages. Glucose was the second major sugar, while sucrose represented a maximum of 20.5% in broccoli cv Shogun and 11.1% in cv Murciana. The growing season influenced the free sugar content, with generally higher levels in the spring/summer than in the summer/winter season in broccoli, while an opposite tendency was noted in the other Brassica species. In broccoli the sugar levels in the primary inflorescences were generally lower than in the secondary inflorescences, except for sucrose. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Assessing the Impact of High-Pressure Processing on Selected Physical and Biochemical Attributes of White Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata alba)

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of combined pressure/temperature treatments (200, 400 and 600 MPa, at 20 and 40 °C) on key physical and chemical characteristics of white cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata alba). Thermal treatment (blanching) was also investigated and compared with high-pressure processing (HPP). HPP at 400 MPa and 20–40 °C caused significantly larger colour changes compared to any other pressure or thermal treatment. All pressure treatments induced a softening effect, whereas blanching did not significantly alter texture. Both blanching and pressure treatments resulted in a reduction in the levels of ascorbic acid, effect that was less pronounced for blanching and HPP at 600 MPa and 20–40 °C. HPP at 600 MPa resulted in significantly higher total phenol content, total antioxidant capacity and total isothiocyanate content compared to blanching. In summary, the colour and texture of white cabbage were better preserved by blanching. However, HPP at 600 MPa resulted in significantly higher levels of phytochemical compounds. The results of this study suggest that HPP may represent an attractive technology to process vegetable-based food products that better maintains important aspects related to the content of health-promoting compounds. This may be of particular relevance to the food industry sector involved in the development of convenient novel food products with excellent functional properties.     

Rapid Determination of Tetracyclines Hydrochloride Using ATR FT-MIR Spectroscopy

Antibiotic residues in animal-derived foods have brought serious threats to human health as well as economic losses to the food industry. Given that analytical methods are crucial but remain limited, a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective method is needed for detecting antibiotic residues. In this paper, a method using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform mid-infrared (ATR FT-MIR) spectroscopy combined with chemometrics was established for the detection of tetracyclines hydrochloride (TCsH). Firstly, TCsH powders were scanned using ATR FT-MIR spectroscopy, and the characteristic peaks of these samples were found in this region. Then, milk samples with different TCsH concentrations (1 to 160 ppb) were measured and were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) algorithms. The results showed that the kinds of TCsH in milk could not be classified. However, TCsH concentration ranging from 1 to 160 ppb in milk samples was successfully determined with high determination coefficient (R ²) values of 0.88–0.90, low root-mean-square errors values of 9.76–18.2, and high residual predictive deviation (RPD) values close to or greater than 3. These results indicated that ATR FT-MIR spectroscopy could be used to identify TCsH powders based on their unique spectral features, and was suitable for the rapid detection of TCsH concentration in milk.     

Effects of High-Intensity Pulsed Electric Fields Processing Parameters on the Chlorophyll Content and Its Degradation Compounds in Broccoli Juice

The influence of high-intensity pulsed electric fields (HIPEF) parameters including electric field strength (15–35 kV/cm), treatment time (500–2,000 μs), and polarity (monopolar or bipolar mode) on the content of chlorophylls (Chls), pheophytin (Phe), chlorophyllide (Chlide), and pheophorbide (Phb) and chlorophyllase activity (Chlase) in broccoli juice were assessed. A significant effect of HIPEF parameters on Chlase, Chls, and Chls degradation compounds was observed through a response surface methodology design. However, polarity did not exert influence neither on Chl a nor on Chl b. The optimum HIPEF treatment was found to be 35 kV/cm for 1,980 μs in bipolar mode, where the highest content of Chls was kept, the lowest Chlase residual activity was reached, and the minimal quantities of Chls degradation compounds content were formed. Additionally, at these HIPEF conditions, broccoli juice exhibited greater content of Chls than thermally treated or untreated juice. These outcomes demonstrated that HIPEF processing could be a suitable technology to maintain the Chls content in broccoli juice.     

Simultaneous Determination of Tebufenozide and Phoxim in Chinese Cabbage and Soil Using Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry

This study demonstrates a new, rapid, and sensitive analytical method for the simultaneous determination of tebufenozide and phoxim in cabbage and soil using a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) sample preparation procedure followed by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Tebufenozide and phoxim were extracted with acetonitrile and subsequently cleaned up with a primary and secondary amine sorbent prior to sample analysis. Recoveries ranged from 77.2 to 107.3 % for all analytes, with relative standard deviation values lower than 8.8 % in matrices at three levels (0.005, 0.01, 0.1 mg/kg). The limit of quantification for tebufenozide and phoxim in cabbages and soil was 0.005 mg/kg, respectively. The developed method was used to study the dissipation of the pesticides in cabbage and soil in a field trial. The tebufenozide and phoxim dissipated with half-life of 4.5–4.8 and 0.7–0.7 days (in cabbage) and 10.8–12.7 and 1.1–1.5 days (in soil), respectively. The final residue concentrations of tebufenozide and phoxim were 0.022–0.482 and 0.029–0.042 mg/kg (in cabbage) and 0.029–0.487 and 0.025–0.043 mg/kg (in soil), respectively. The results further confirmed the reliability and efficacy of the proposed method for routine pesticide residue monitoring in soil and cabbage samples.     

Moisture content,insect pest infestation and mycotoxin levels of maize in markets in the northern region of Ghana

Reliable quantitative data on maize post-harvest losses and factors that cause them in northern Ghana are limited. In this study we assessed maize at six markets in the Northern Region of Ghana, in and around Tamale, during the harvest and storage period of October 2015–June 2016. Across all the markets and sampling periods grain temperature was 32.6 ± 0.2 °C and equilibrium moisture content (EMC) was 9.5 ± 0.2%. EMC tended to decrease to a low in January and February and then increased again, while mean maize temperature was above 30 °C in all months. The primary stored product insects collected from the samples were Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), Sitophilus spp., Rhyzopertha dominica (Fauvel), and Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens). Using all the market and sampling month data, there was a significant correlation between EMC and total number of insects recovered, but not between total number of insects and temperature. The average percentage of insect-damaged kernels (IDK) in the maize sampled across all the markets and sampling periods was 2.7 ± 0.2%, with a range between 0 and 21.4%. Using all the market and sampling month data, levels of insect damage tended to be positively correlated with maize moisture, but not temperature, and levels of insect damage increased with number of stored product insects recovered. The action threshold for aflatoxin in maize in Ghana is 15 ppb, but overall mean aflatoxin level was 19.8 ± 1.5 ppb and aflatoxin levels ranged from 0.3 to 132.2 ppb, with 53% of the samples having levels above 15 ppb. The mean fumonisin level was 1.2 ± 0.0 ppm, which is below the 4.0 ppm action threshold for Ghana. Our results show that aflatoxin levels were high in the market maize in Northern Region of Ghana and insects were prevalent, even though grain moisture tended to be relatively low, especially compared to the Middle Belt of Ghana.     

Determination and Evaluation Employing Multivariate Analysis of the Mineral Composition of Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. Italica)

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. Italica) is a vegetable food that belongs to the family Cruciferaceae, and it is a good source of vitamins and minerals. Among other characteristics, the kind of culture (conventional or organic), the climate of origin, and the way a vegetal will be consumed influence directly in the concentrations of minerals. The aim of this work was to determine mineral composition (Fe, Mn, Zn, K, Ca, Mg, and Na) of 16 broccoli samples collected in four cities of Bahia, Brazil, in summer and winter, from organic and conventional cultures. These elements were also determined in a lot of raw and cooked summer samples and then all results were evaluated using multivariate analysis. Broccoli samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry after digestion with HNO₃ and H₂O₂. The results expressed as milligrams of element per 100 g of sample demonstrated that the concentration ranges for conventional and organic broccoli varied, respectively, from 0.13 to 0.90 and 0.14–1.18, for iron; from 0.15 to 1.79 and 0.04–1.40, for manganese; from 0.20 to 1.58 and 0.17–1.28, for zinc; from 317.65 to 484.45 and 321.58–521.78 for potassium; from 7.14 to 153.50 and 9.38–131.55, for calcium; from 21.09 to 47.15 and 29.51–61.23, for magnesium; from 3.66 to 21.21 and 1.89–27.09 for sodium. The accuracy of the method was confirmed by analysis of a certified reference material of spinach leaves (NIST 1570a). The statistical evaluation of the obtained results showed that broccoli samples were not differentiated by city of origin, station, or culture. Nevertheless, by comparing raw and cooked samples, it was noticed a tendency of separation in the principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis.     

Thermal and High-Pressure Stability of Pectin-Converting Enzymes in Broccoli and Carrot Purée: Towards the Creation of Specific Endogenous Enzyme Populations Through Processing

The thermal and pressure stability of broccoli and carrot pectin-converting enzymes, in particular pectinmethylesterase (PME), β-galactosidase (β-Gal), and α-arabinofuranosidase (α-Af), were investigated in vegetable purée matrices. In situ enzyme inactivation by thermal and high-pressure processing (respectively 5 min at 25–80 °C at 0.1 MPa and 10 min at 0.1–800 MPa at 20 °C) was evaluated by measuring the residual enzyme activity in crude extracts of treated carrot, broccoli floret, and broccoli stem purée samples. PME was completely inactivated in all vegetable purée matrices after a 5-min treatment at 80 °C. After a treatment at 800 MPa (20 °C, 10 min) only 77–90 % of pressure stable PME was inactivated, depending on the matrix. β-Gal and α-Af enzymes were inactivated in the vegetable purée matrices by thermal treatments respectively at 67.5–72.5 and 80 °C. These enzymes showed some pressure resistance: treatments respectively at 600–700 and 600–750 MPa were necessary for one log-reduction of β-Gal and α-Af activity in the different purées at 20 °C. Under the assumption of a first-order inactivation model, inactivation rate constants and their temperature or pressure dependency were determined for the different enzymes. Based on differences in process stability of the enzymes in the individual purée matrices, the feasibility for the creation of specific endogenous enzyme populations by selective processing was evaluated.     

Innovative Cooking Techniques for Improving the Overall Quality of a Kailan-Hybrid Broccoli

The microbial, physical, sensory and nutritional quality of boiled (vacuum and conventional), steamed, pressure cooked, sous vide, microwaved (sous vide and conventional), deep-fried (vacuum and conventional) and grilled kailan-hybrid broccoli (Bimi®) after cooking was studied. Sous vide microwaving greatly decreased microbial counts, achieving very low psychrophilic and enterobacteria counts (1.1 and 0.2 log CFU g^?1, respectively). Vacuum boiling and sous vide reduced the stem broccoli firmness by approximately 54–58 %, reaching a pleasant and moderate softening. Sous vide, grilling and steaming induced the lowest stem colour changes. Generally, all cooking treatments showed a good overall sensory quality. The total phenolic content (1,148 mg CAE kg^?1 fw) usually increased after cooking, with microwave and grilled treatments registering the highest increases up to 2-fold. Commonly, the total antioxidant capacity (296.6 mg AAE kg^?1 fw) increased after cooking by sous vide, microwaving and frying treatments registering the highest increments, by approximately 3.6-fold. Generally, the cooking process reduced the initial vitamin C content, with vacuum and conventional boiling showing the lowest and highest losses with 27 and 62 %, respectively, while vacuum deep frying preserved the initial value (1,737 mg kg^?1 fw). As a main conclusion, the studied grilling and vacuum-based cooking treatments resulted in better microbial quality, colour, stem firmness and sensory quality than the remaining ones. This maintained or even improved the total antioxidant content of the new kailan-hybrid broccoli studied.     

N-nitrosodimethylamine analysis in Estonian beer using positive-ion chemical ionization with gas chromatography mass spectrometry

N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a potent animal carcinogen that has been detected in trace levels in beers. A total of 264 beer samples were analyzed for their NDMA content. For cleaning of the sample the two-step solid-phase extraction with Extrelut and Florisil sorbents were used. NDMA was separated by gas chromatography and detected by positive-ion chemical ionization using ammonia as reagent gas. The HP 6890 Plus GC/HP 5973 MSD with positive-ion chemical ionization option was used in the selected ion-monitoring mode. The limit of detection for NDMA using this method was 0.15 ppb with about 70–80% recovery. Of 158 Estonian beers analyzed during 2003–2004, the average NDMA level was found to be 0.20 ppb. Of 106 imported beer samples the average NDMA level was found to be 0.21 ppb.     

Optimized Formation,Extraction, and Determination of Sulforaphane in Broccoli by Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detection

A new method has been developed to determine sulforaphane in broccoli florets, stems, and leaves using liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection. The hydrolysis reaction, required to convert glucoraphanin to its breakdown product, sulforaphane, and the extraction procedure, based on solvent extraction with methyl t-butyl ether followed by solid phase extraction with silica cartridges, were optimized for the three broccoli matrices; the resulting recovery values ranged from 92 to 102 % in all cases. A fast separation was performed on a C₁₈ analytical column with a mobile phase composed of ammonium formate (20 mM) in water and acetonitrile (55:45, v/v) in isocratic elution mode. This method was fully validated and was found to be selective, linear from 2.5 to 800 mg/kg, and precise (percent relative standard deviation values below 5 %). Moreover, the limits of detection and quantification were 0.8 and 2.5 mg/kg, respectively. Finally, the proposed method has been applied to the analysis of sulforaphane in broccoli samples of two different cultivars (Parthenon and Marathon).     

发芽条件对西兰花芽苗菜总黄酮富集的影响

为富集西兰花芽苗菜总黄酮,研究不同消毒方法(物理消毒、物理化学联合法)对西兰花种子消毒效果的影响以及不同培养条件下总黄酮含量的变化。以西兰花种子为试材,通过单因素试验(浸泡温度、浸泡时间、发芽温度、发芽时间)与正交试验对发芽条件进行优化。结果表明,紫外消毒10 min联合1%食品级奥克泰士D10消毒效果好,发芽率最高;西兰花富集总黄酮的最适发芽条件为:浸泡温度25℃、浸泡时间6 h、发芽温度20℃、发芽时间4 d。在最佳工艺条件下,西兰花芽苗总黄酮含量为11.33 mg/g。     

Comparison of glucosinolate levels in commercial broccoli and red cabbage from conventional and ecological farming

Broccoli heads and red cabbage of both conventional and ecological origin were purchased from the market at monthly intervals over a 1-year period. After freeze-drying of the samples the glucosinolates were extracted, enzymatically desulphated and analyzed by HPLC-UV. Glucoraphanin, glucobrassicin and neo-glucobrassicin turned out to be the predominant glucosinolates in broccoli. Red cabbage contained similar amounts of glucoraphanin and glucobrassicin but, in addition, appreciable amounts of glucoiberin, progoitrin, sinigrin, gluconapin and glucoerucin, while neo-glucobrassicin occurred at trace levels only. No significance was found comparing the contents of glucoraphanin in the two cultivation groups for either broccoli or red cabbage. Organic broccoli and red cabbage both contained significantly higher amounts of glucobrassicin than their conventionally grown counterparts. Conventional crops of red cabbage yielded significantly higher quantities of gluconapin than ecological crops. Broccoli imported from Spain and Italy during the winter months yielded levels of glucosinolates similar to those of the home-grown products available in summer and autumn.

The effect of vegetable and spice addition on the acrylamide content and antioxidant activity of innovative cereal products

The aim of the work was to assess the impact of vegetable and spice addition on the acrylamide content and antioxidant activity of extruded cereal crisps. The foods were based on grain ingredients, such as brown rice, whole grain flour, wheat bran, with different vegetables. Products from one group contained green vegetables, such as broccoli and zucchini; garlic was included as a flavour additive (0.75–1.50%). The second group of crisps consisted of similar cereal ingredients with pumpkin and cinnamon; additionally ginger was included as a flavour additive (0.75–1.50%). The results indicate that the production of a new, innovative product with appropriate nutritional value and acceptable quality is a complex process. The production process significantly changed the nutritional value of the product. The content of acrylamide in zucchini and broccoli crisps was relatively low; ranging from 78 to 86 μg/kg of product. The addition of garlic did not significantly affect the acrylamide content in the final product. For cereal–pumpkin crisps, the acrylamide content was 7 times higher in comparison with zucchini and broccoli products. The acrylamide content in pumpkin and ginger crisps exceeded the benchmark level. The antioxidant activity of the pumpkin product was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than for crisps with green vegetables.     

Analysis and risk assessment of ethyl carbamate in various fermented foods

Ethyl carbamate (EC) was analyzed in fermented foods, comprising various matrices; subsequently, a risk assessment for EC was carried out. In total, 128 fermented foods were purchased from department stores and traditional markets in Korea. The samples comprised 55 lactic acid–fermented vegetable (kimchi), 53 fermented soybean paste (doenjang, gochujang, cheonggukjang, and ssamjang), 20 fermented fish products (jeotgal), 18 yoghurt, 37 bread, 12 cheese, and 23 vinegar samples. The level of EC in fermented soybean pastes ranged from not detectable to 240.2 ng g^?1. EC was not detected in kimchi, jeotgals, yoghurt, and cheese. Bread and vinegar contained EC up to 3.70 and 16.79 ng g^?1, respectively. The estimated daily intake and chronic daily intake of EC were 1.98 ng kg body weight (bw)^?1 day^?1, 1.50 ng kg bw^?1 day^?1, respectively. Excess cancer risk and margin of exposure of EC were 7.5 × 10^?8 and 151,515, respectively.     

Determination of Chlorothalonil Residue in Cabbage by a Modified QuEChERS-Based Extraction and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Being susceptible to any matrix with pH >5, taking cabbage as an example, the low recovery of chlorothalonil residues adsorbed onto the cabbage matrix was almost completely improved by extracting with 1/1 (v/v) acetonitrile (containing 5 % acetic acid)/toluene. Under the optimized conditions, the recoveries of chlorothalonil in cabbage fortified at three concentrations of 0.5 to 10 mg kg^?1 were 71–93 % with relative standard deviations (RSDs) lower than 6 %. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of the gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) method for chlorothalonil were 0.05 and 0.5 mg kg^?1, respectively, which were much lower than the maximum residue limits (MRLs). The proposed analytical method demonstrated a potential for its application to monitor for chlorothalonil and to help assure food safety, especially base-sensitive-pesticide analysis.