High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)
were compared to validate a method for determination of zearalenone (ZON) in noodles, cereal snacks,
and infant formulas. The limits of detection and quantification in HPLC and UPLC were found to be 4.0
and 13.0 lg kg1 and 2.5 and 8.3 lg kg1
, respectively. The average recoveries of ZON by HPLC and UPLC
ranged from 79.1% to 105.3% and from 85.1% to 114.5%, respectively. The measurement uncertainties of
the two methods for ZON determination were within the maximum standard uncertainty. The two methods
showed that the levels of ZON in 163 naturally contaminated samples ranged from 4.3 to 8.3 lg kg1
by HPLC and 3.1 to 17.6 lg kg1 by UPLC. These findings indicate that either method is suitable for the
determination of ZON in noodles, cereal snacks, and infant formulas, but UPLC gives faster results with
better sensitivity.
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