Development of a Novel, Simultaneous Determination Method for Heterocyclic Amines and Mycotoxins in Fried Food by UPLC – MS / MS Combined With QuEChERS

Dietary exposure to both processing contaminants and natural toxins in fried foods poses a potential health risk, but analytical methods for their simultaneous monitoring are lacking. To address this gap, a rapid and efficient method based on QuEChERS extraction and UPLC-MS/MS detection was developed for the simultaneous determination of two β-carboline heterocyclic amines (harman and norharman) and seven mycotoxins (fumonisins B1, B2, B3 and aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2). The optimized extraction utilized a 30:20:50 (v/v/v) acetonitrile/methanol/water mixture. The method was rigorously validated, showing high sensitivity (LODs: 0.021-0.232 ng/g; LOQs: 0.100-0.587 ng/g), accuracy (recoveries: 80.4%-109.3%), and reliability. When applied to real samples, the method not only confirmed its practicality across different matrices but also revealed a critical finding: the co-occurrence of heterocyclic amines and mycotoxins, particularly in fried peanuts. This study provides an essential tool for integrated food safety surveillance and highlights the need for combined risk assessment of multiple contaminants.