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Validation of an HPLC-FLD method for the determination of aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, G2) in cereals, coffee and dried seafood and its application to the survey of Aflatoxin contamination in selected foods in Hanoi

Vu Thi Kim Oanh , 
Received: 30 Jun 2026
Revised: 26 Aug 2026
Accepted: 02 Sep 2026
Published: 28 Sep 2026

Article Details

How to Cite
Vu Thi Kim Oanh. "Validation of an HPLC-FLD method for the determination of aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, G2) in cereals, coffee and dried seafood and its application to the survey of Aflatoxin contamination in selected foods in Hanoi ". Vietnam Journal of Food Control. vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 216-228, 2026
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Main Article Content

Abstract

This study aimed to establish the analytical parameters and validate a high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) method for the determination of aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2) in food samples. The validated method used to assess aflatoxin contamination in cereals, coffee products, and dried seafood collected in Hanoi. Positive samples were further confirmed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and the quantitative results obtained by the two methods were compared. The validated method demonstrated good specificity, with limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 0.5 and 1.0 μg/kg, respectively, for each aflatoxin. The intermediate precision (RSD) ranged from 2.55 to 18.4%, while recoveries ranged from 70.1% to 119%. The evaluation results demonstrated that the method was reliable for the determination of aflatoxins at low concentrations in compliance with the requirements of QCVN 8-1:2011/BYT and showed good agreement with LC-MS/MS for quantitative analysis. The validated method was applied to the analysis of 100 food samples, including cereals, coffee, and dried seafood. Five samples (5.0%) were found to be contaminated with total aflatoxins at concentrations ranging from 9.04 to 726 µg/kg. These findings highlight the need to maintain and strengthen routine food safety monitoring programs for the effective control of aflatoxin contamination and the protection of public health.

Keywords:

Aflatoxin, cereals, Immunoaffinity, HPLC-FLD, LC-MS/MS.

References

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