Performance evaluation of LC–MS/MS methods for multi-mycotoxin determination in maize and wheat by means of international Proficiency Testing

Two Proficiency Testings (PTs) involving eighteen laboratory participants from 10 Countries have been conducted in 2014 for the simultaneous determination of deoxynivalenol, fumonisins B1 and B2, zearalenone, T-2 and HT-2 toxins, ochratoxin A and aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in maize and of deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, T-2 and HT-2 toxins and ochratoxin A in wheat, respectively. The aim of PTs was to check next to the laboratory performance the state-of-art of the LC–MS multi-mycotoxin methods used by participants. In addition, the trend of performances of LC–MS methods for multi-mycotoxin determination in maize together with method-related issues was assessed by comparing three PTs organised over the years 2011–2014. Data showed the improvement of laboratory performances with the overall acceptable z-scores that progressively increased from 59% in 2011 PT to 85% in 2014 PT, while the rate of unacceptable z-score decreased from 25% in 2011 PT to 11% in 2014 PT.