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Submitted to: Journal of Food Protection
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 6/8/2006 Publication Date: 11/1/2006 Citation: Maragos, C.M. 2006. Measurement of T-2 and HT-2 toxins in eggs by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Journal of Food Protection. 69(11):2773-2776. Interpretive Summary: T-2 toxin is a mycotoxin produced by several species of common fungi capable of infesting human food and animal feeds. T-2 is acutely toxic to chickens and the scientific literature has suggested that a small portion of T-2 consumed might be transmitted into the eggs, although a method for analysis of these toxins in eggs has not been previously published. This report describes the development of a sensitive method to detect both T-2 toxin and a related toxin (HT-2) in chicken eggs. The method will be useful in studies to determine the possible transmission of T-2 into eggs and as a way to monitor for the presence of these two toxins in commercial eggs. Technical Abstract: T-2 toxin is a mycotoxin produced by several species of common fungi capable of infesting human food and animal feeds. Lower quality feeds given to chickens may be contaminated with T-2 toxin, which may affect their health. The literature suggests that T-2 toxin might be transmitted from the hen to the eggs. This report describes the development of a liquid chromatographic assay for T-2 and the related mycotoxin HT-2 in eggs. T-2 and HT-2 toxins were isolated from spiked eggs using a tandem charcoal-alumina-Florisil® column and immunoaffinity column cleanup. The isolated toxins were derivatized with the fluorophore 1-anthroyl nitrile (1-AN), separated by HPLC and quantitated by fluorescence. The limit of detection of the method was 1 ng ml^(-1) (ppb) T-2 and HT-2 in whole (shell removed) egg. The limit of quantitation for both toxins was 5 ng ml^(-1). Recoveries from spiked eggs over the range from 5 ng ml^(-1) to 50 ng ml^(-1) averaged 89.2% for T-2 and 100.3% for HT-2, with coefficients of variation of 3.5% and 8.2% respectively. This method is sensitive enough to be used to monitor for the presence of T-2 or HT-2 toxins in eggs. |
