Precise determination of the Alternaria mycotoxins alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether in cereal, fruit and vegetable products using stable isotope dilution assays

Cereal, fruit and vegetable products were analyzed for contamination with the Alternaria mycotoxins alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) using stable isotope dilution assays (SIDAs). Both toxins were practically not detected in cereals and cereal products: AOH-one out of 13 samples at a content of 4.1 μg/kg; AME-two out of 13 samples at contents ranging between 0.2 and 0.6 μg/kg. However, if cereals for animal nutrition were analyzed, much higher values were found: AOH-five out of six samples (13-250 μg/kg); AME-six out of six samples (3-100 μg/kg). This finding may pose a potential problem concerning animal health. AOH and AME were frequently detected in vegetable products: AOH-5 out of 10 samples (2.6-25 μg/kg); AME-6 out of 10 samples (0.1-5 μg/kg). Tomato products were affected, especially. The highest content of AOH (25 μg/kg) and AME (5 μg/kg) were found in triple concentrated tomato paste. Special wines like "Trockenbeerenauslese" or "Spätlese" (affected by noble rot in the vineyard) contained AOH (4/6 samples; 1.2-4.9 μg/kg) and AME (4/6 samples; 0.1-0.3 μg/kg), but the values did not exceed the values of both toxins that were found generally in wines.