To establish a method for the simultaneous determination of 16 kinds of mycotoxins in noodles by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS).

Samples were ground into powder and extracted with an acetonitrile-formic acid-water solution (70:1:29, V:V:V). The extract was centrifuged, diluted, filtered and analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS. Chromatographic separation was performed on an ACQUITY UPLC® BEH C₁₈ column (2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.7 μm) using a gradient elution with mobile phases consisting of acetonitrile and 0.2% formic acid-water solution. Detection was carried out using electrospray ionization in positive/negative switching mode with multiple reaction monitoring, and quantification was performed using the external standard method.

The 16 kinds of mycotoxins showed good linearity within their respective concentration ranges, with correlation coefficients (r) ranged from 0.9986 to 0.9999. The limits of quantitation ranging from 0.0516 to 105.2628 μg/kg. The recovery rates in their corresponding μg/kg-level spiked samples ranged from 92.7% to 124.4%, and relative standard deviations ranged from 1.95% to 9.32%. Among 30 samples of fresh wet noodles and 30 samples of dry noodles, the detection of rate deoxynivalenol was 100%, the concentration ranged from 21.200 to 229.000 μg/kg, with no significant difference (P>0.05) between fresh wet and dry noodles. The contamination level of aflatoxin B₁ in dry noodles was significantly higher than that in fresh wet noodles (P<0.05). Conversely, the contamination levels of fumonisin B₂ and zearalenone were significantly higher in fresh wet noodles than in dry noodles (P<0.001).

This study establishs a method for the simultaneous and rapid detection of 16 kinds of mycotoxins in noodles. Compared with previously reported methods and national standard methods for mycotoxins detection in food, this method is characterized by simpler operation, faster analysis, lower cost, higher sensitivity and better accuracy. It is well-suited for rapid screening in noodles and their raw materials (wheat flour), providing reliable technical support for contamination monitoring and risk assessment of related foods.