A Sensitive Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Method for the Determination of Patulin in Apple Juice

A simple and sensitive GC/MS method was developed for the detection of patulin in apple juice. The method utilized a common laboratory chemical, 3-nitrobenzyl alcohol, as an internal standard. The calibration curve, ranging from 5 to 100 pg/L, showed good linearity with a correlation coefficient of 0.999. The LOD and LOQ were 2 and 5 pg/L, respectively. The significant advantage of the method was removal of the need for in-house synthesis of appropriate internal standards as reported by other researchers. The method also eliminated the need for careful sample preparation procedures, as outlined in some AOAC methods in which no internal standard was utilized. The streamlined extraction process and the improved sensitivity warrant the developed method to be a useful alternative for drug testing laboratories, especially those with large specimen volume and throughput to determine patulin levels in apple juice.