Rapid screening method for deoxynivalenol, T-2 toxin and diacetoxyscirpenol in maize-based foods by thin layer chromatography

We described a fast and systematic method for the simultaneous determination of Fusarium mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, diacetoxyscirpenol and T-2 toxin) in maize-based foods. Mycotoxins were extracted with acetonitrile-water and purified by means of the 2-step chromatographic procedure, using charcoal/alumina and florisil columns. The column eluates were concentrated and spotted on a Thin Layer Chromatography plate dipped with chromogenic reagent, the plate is developed in various solvents systems for mono- and bi-dimensional TLC. Each mycotoxin is semi quantified by TLC visualization, where the minimum detectable concentrations in various test materials were: 50 ng deoxynivalenol, 100 ng diacetoxyscirpenol, and T-2 toxin. Recoveries of the mycotoxins added to various food samples of 0.5-3 μg/g per sample, were approximately 75 % DON, 65 % DAS, and T-2 toxin.