Fast detection of cyclopiazonic acid in cheese using Fourier transform mid-infrared ATR spectroscopy

A simple and rapid Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopic method with attenuated total reflection was developed for the detection of cyclopiazonic acid in ewe's cheese samples. A partial least-squares calibration model for the prediction of cyclopiazonic acid content in ewe medium-ripened cheese, based on spectra data, revealed to be the best approach. The PLS model was tested by cross-validation in order to minimize standard error of the model and the relevant RMSECV (root of mean-squared error in cross-validation) was calculated to be 0.05 μg/g. In parallel experiments, cyclopiazonic acid content was estimated using the developed SPME-HPLC/UV method and different cheese samples were analysed using both techniques. The method appears to be useful for a qualitative and semi-quantitative screening of a large number of cheese samples, important in food contaminants monitoring. Since no sample pretreatment is required at all, the analysis times are dramatically shortened in comparison with any chromatographic procedure.