Survey of T-2 and HT-2 toxins by LC–MS/MS in oats and oat products from European oat mills in 2005–2009

Figures & data

Table 1. MS/MS parameters for detection of trichothecenes in MRM mode.

Analyte	Precursor ion (m/z)	Product ion (m/z)	Declustering potential (V)	Collision energy (eV)	Ion ratio (Q/q)
T-2	489.2 [M + Na]^+	245.1 (Q)		37
	489.2 [M + Na]^+	387.3 (q)	96	27	0.60
	489.2 [M + Na]^+	327.1 (q)		29	0.34
HT-2	446.9 [M + Na]^+	345.2 (Q)		23
	446.9 [M + Na]^+	285.1 (q)	71	29	0.67
	446.9 [M + Na]^+	159.0 (q)		37	0.03
^13C-T-2	513.2 [M + Na]^+	406.2 (Q)		29
	513.2 [M + Na]^+	260.2 (q)	61	31	0.75
	513.2 [M + Na]^+	138.2 (q)		99	0.24
Note: Q: transition used for quantification (quantifier); q: transition used for confirmation (qualifier).

Table 2. Occurrence of T-2 and HT-2 toxins in oats, oat flakes, oat meal and oat by-products from European oat mills in 2005–2009.

Toxin product	Number of samples	Number of samples in the range (µg kg^−1)						Mean (µg kg^−1)	Median (µg kg^−1)	90th %ile (µg kg^−1)	Max (µg kg^−1)
		<5	5–50	50–200	200–500	500–750	>750
T-2 toxin
Oats raw	243	65	128	47	3	0	0	32	13	78	269
Oat flakes	529	402	127	0	0	0	0	5	3	10	38
Oat meal	105	87	18	0	0	0	0	4	3	8	34
Oat by-product	209	4	60	86	19	8	0	110	53	270	643
HT-2 toxin
Oats raw	243	22	124	92	9	3	0	62	27	137	572
Oat flakes	529	167	349	13	0	0	0	12	8	26	159
Oat meal	105	69	35	1	0	0	0	7	3	21	84
Oat by-product	209	3	66	78	45	12	7	183	101	446	1068
T-2 + HT-2 toxin
Oats raw	243	16	113	86	23	3	2	94	38	210	841
Oat flakes	529	122	377	30	0	0	0	17	12	41	197
Oat meal	105	69	35	1	0	0	0	11	5	28	118
Oat by-product	209	3	28	82	64	12	20	293	152	662	1711

Table 3. Occurrence by harvest year of T-2 and HT-2 toxins, as the sum of their concentrations in raw oats, oat flakes and oat by-products from European oat mills in 2005–2009.

Year	Product	Number of samples	Number of samples in the range (µg kg^−1)						Mean (µg kg^−1)	Median (µg kg^−1)	90th %ile (µg kg^−1)	Max (µg kg^−1)
			<5	5–50	50–200	200–500	500–750	>750
2006	Oats raw	32	0	3	15	10	2	2	261	189	664	841
2007	Oats raw	27	0	10	12	5	0	0	113	88	269	415
2008	Oats raw	99	16	70	11	2	0	0	27	15	65	283
2009	Oats raw	78	0	30	41	6	1	0	99	83	169	571
2006–2009	Oats raw	243	16	113	86	23	3	2	94	38	210	841
2005	Oat flakes	30	0	19	11	0	0	0	48	46	83	96
2006	Oat flakes	70	3	55	12	0	0	0	25	17	54	74
2006/2007	Oat flakes	57	15	42	0	0	0	0	12	10	22	31
2007	Oat flakes	66	1	59	6	0	0	0	24	16	36	197
2008	Oat flakes	177	67	110	0	0	0	0	11	9	21	42
2009	Oat flakes	99	33	66	0	0	0	0	12	11	20	32
2005–2009	Oat flakes	529	122	377	30	0	0	0	17	12	35	197
2006	Oat by-product	10	0	0	0	1	1	8	1144	1280	1462	1558
2007	Oat by-product	22	0	0	7	13	2	0	313	161	491	659
2008	Oat by-product	90	3	23	48	16	0	0	111	84	228	487
2009	Oat by-product	80	0	5	27	29	7	12	370	272	870	1711
2006–2009	Oat by-product	209	3	28	82	64	12	20	293	152	662	1711

Table 4. Occurrence by country of harvest of T-2 and HT-2 toxins, as the sum of their concentrations in oats and oat flakes in 2005–2009.

Country of origin	Product	Number of samples	Number of samples in the range (µg kg^−1)						Mean (µg kg^−1)	Median (µg kg^−1)	90th %ile (µg kg^−1)	Max (µg kg^−1)
			<5	5–50	50–200	200–500	500–750	>750
UK	Oats raw	180	15	11	136	14	3	1	83	27	190	758
Finland	Oats raw	25	0	13	10	2	0	0	67	41	124	283
Ireland	Oats raw	28	0	4	17	6	0	1	190	162	341	841
Sweden	Oats raw	8	0	3	4	1	0	0	103	98	177	302
UK	Oat flakes	261	85	153	23	0	0	0	19	12	46	197
Finland	Oat flakes	141	9	116	6	0	0	0	18	13	34	96
Ireland	Oat flakes	6	3	3	0	0	0	0	9	8	15	16
Sweden	Oat flakes	11	0	10	1	0	0	0	28	20	40	87