The aim of this study is to develop and validate an improved analytical method for the simultaneous quantification of 20 types of mycotoxins in grapes and wines. In this research, the optimization of tandem mass spectrometer (MS/MS) parameter, ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) separation, and QuEChERS procedure, which includes wine/water ratio, the amount and type of salt, clean-up sorbent, were performed, and the whole separation of mycotoxins was accomplished within 7 min analyzing time. Under optimum conditions, recoveries ranged from 85.6% to 117.8%, while relative standard deviation (RSD) remained between 6.0% and 17.5%. The limit of detection (LOD, 0.06–10 μg/L) and the limit of quantification (LOQ, 0.18–30 μg/L) were lower than those permitted by legislation in food matrices, which demonstrated the high sensitivity and applicability of this efficient method. Finally, 36 grapes and 42 wine samples from the Hexi Corridor region were analyzed. Penicillic acid (PCA), mycophenolic acid (MPA), cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), fumonisin B1 (FB1) and zearalenone (ZEN) were detected in a small number of grape samples with lower concentrations between 0.10 μg/L and 81.26 μg/L. Meanwhile, ochratoxin A (OTA), aflatoxin B2 (AFB2), MPA, CPA, and ZEN were detected in some wine counterparts with concentrations ranged from 0.10 μg/L to 4.62 μg/L. However, the concentrations of the detected mycotoxins were much lower than the maximum legal limits set of other products.

The aim of this study was to develop and validate an improved, simple, and sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of seven types (cadaverine, CAD; hexylamine, HEX; histamine, HIS; phenylethylamine, PEA; putrescine, PUT; tyramine, TYR) of biogenic amines (BAs) in wine matrices. For this reason, a modified QuEChERS combined with ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS) method was investigated. The optimization of UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS separation and QuEChERS procedure was performed. Under optimum conditions, the excellent chromatographic performance of the whole separation was accomplished within 6.3 min analyzing time. Meanwhile, the recoveries ranged from 77.2% to 101.7%, while relative standard deviation (RSD) remained between 0.0% and 9.4%. The limit of detection (LOD, 0.50–1.00 µg/L) and the limit of quantification (LOQ, 1.65–3.30 µg/L) were lower than those permitted by legislation in food matrices, which demonstrated the high sensitivity and applicability of this efficient method. This validated method was also applied in a pilot study to analyze BAs in 81 wine samples from Hexi Corridor Region (Gansu Province, Northwest China), CAD, HEX, HIS, PEA, PUT, and TYR were detected to varying degrees in the samples. However, when compared with the existing standards, the BAs in all 81 wine samples did not exceed the prescribed limit value or toxic dose (2–40 mg/L). Moreover, a statistical approach was also conducted using Pearson correlation analysis, and to evaluate their concentrations in terms of wine parameters (storage time, grape variety, wine type, and basic physicochemical index). The results showed that, among the seven kinds of BAs, the concentration of HIS had a certain correlation with alcoholic degree and grape variety. In addition, the level of PEA had a certain correlation with the wine pH and wine storage time. It is worth noting that this seems to be the first report regarding the application of QuEChERS-UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS in the analysis of BAs in wine in this region.