Use of high performance liquid chromatography for the identification and estimation of zearalenone, patulin and penicillic acid in food

A method is described for the estimation of 3 u.v.-absorbent mycotoxins in foods by using semi-preparative and analytical h.p.l.c. columns. The foodstuff is extracted using aqueous acetonitrile and fatty matter is removed from the extract by partition into 2,2,4-trimethylpentane. Mycotoxins present in the fat-free extract are then back extracted into chloroform and separated into two fractions on a silica gel column using (a) diethyl ether and (b) chloroform: methanol. Further purification on a semi-preparative alumina column is described prior to measurement of mycotoxin content on analytical h.p.l.c. columns. Recoveries of zearalenone, patulin and penicillic acid added at 2 to 4 times the detection limit to samples of meat, dairy products and cereals ranged from 50 to 100%.