Chromatographic determination of the mycotoxin patulin in fruit and fruit juices

Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by several fungal species of the genera Pen icillium and Aspergillus, but principally by Penicillium expansum on fruit such as apples. The occurrence of patulin as a natural contaminant of apple juice is a worldwide problem and international recommendations and regulat ions have been made for maximum levels permitted in consumer products. This paper reviews currently available analytical methods for its determination in fruit and fruit juices. Of these, HPLC with ultraviolet or, preferably, photodiode array detection is most widely used, although GC and TLC method s have also been described. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reser ved.