Identification of fumonisin B-2, HT-2 toxin, patulin, and zearalenone in dried figs by liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Dried figs from Turkey that were visibly moldy (or fluorescent under UV light) and thus rejected as unsuitable for human food were screened for the presence of fungal metabolites. Crude solvent extracts from individual figs were directly analyzed by liquid chromatography combined with time-of-flight mass spectrometry to generate accurate mass data for all detectable components. A comparison of these data with a metabolite database indicated the presence of fumonisins B-2 and B-4, patulin, HT-2 toxin, and zearalenone among various other metabolites. Portions of the same figs were reextracted and then analyzed by conventional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. On the basis of coincident retention times and by matching selected ion monitoring for coincident ions with that of authentic standards, the identification of fumonisin B-2, HT-2 toxin, patulin, and zearalenone was confirmed.