A reliable high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method was established for the simultaneous detection of zearalenone-14-glucoside (ZEN-14G) and its metabolite, zearalenone (ZEN), in the plasma, urine, and various tissues of rats. The performance of the developed method was validated by determining the selectivity, linearity (R² > 0.99), sensitivity (lower limit of quantification, 0.1–1 μg/L), recovery (80.7 ± 3.0–112.3 ± 3.1%), precision (0.6–16.5%), and stability (81.7 ± 1.7–104.1 ± 3.9%). Through use of the methodological advances, the subsequent kinetics and distribution after administration of ZEN-14G by gavage were thoroughly investigated. ZEN-14G and ZEN exhibited similar trends in the plasma, and reached their peak concentrations at 10 min and then rapidly decreased. ZEN-14G could be quantified in the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine 24 h after administration, while ZEN was detectable in all tested tissues. Interestingly, ZEN-14G (7.6 ± 3.0 μg/L) and ZEN (977.5 ± 98.0 μg/L) were also detected in the urine 24 h after administration, indicating that ZEN-14G was prone to be slowly and continuously hydrolyzed into ZEN to be absorbed into the plasma and distributed to various tissues, thus leading to a cumulative exposure. Continuous attention should be paid to the co-exposure of ZEN and ZEN-14G, which might pose additional health risks to humans and animals.

During postharvest storage, the yellow peach (Amygdalus persica) is susceptible to infection by Alternaria alternata, which causes fruit decay and produces multiple Alternaria toxins (ATs), leading to economic losses and potential health risks. The present study investigated the inhibitory effects of infrared radiation treatment against A. alternata on yellow peaches. Our in vitro experimental results indicated that infrared radiation at 50 °C for 30 min could completely inhibit fungal growth and AT production. Furthermore, infrared treatments prior to cold storage effectively delayed the onset of decay and significantly reduced the lesion diameter, decay rate, and AT levels in the yellow peaches inoculated with A. alternata. After the peaches underwent infrared radiation at 50 °C for 30 min and then cold storage for 60 days, the levels of tenuazonic acid, alternariol, alternariol methyl ether, and altenuene in the yellow peaches decreased by 95.1%, 98.6%, 76.1%, and 100.0%, respectively. Additionally, infrared radiation caused slight changes in their firmness, total soluble solids, and concentrations of sugar and organic acids, indicating minor negative impacts on the quality of the yellow peaches. Therefore, the present work provides a novel strategy for controlling A. alternata and AT contamination, thereby extending the shelf-life of yellow peaches, and improving food safety administration.