Application of matrix solid-phase dispersion–HPLC method to determine patulin in apple and apple juice concentrate

The occurrence of patulin as a natural contaminant of apple juice is a worldwide problem. Most analytical methods consist of multiple liquid–liquid partition steps for the extraction of patulin in apple juice. Matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) is a valuable tool for extracting the analytes from foodstuffs .In MSPD clean-up is carried out simultaneously with, generally, good recoveries and precision. In this study, an efficient method with MSPD using C18-bonded silica as sorbent was developed for the analysis of patulin in apple and apple juice concentrate by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Recoveries of apple juice concentrate (AJC) sample and apple sample were in the range of 89.80–103.16% and 85.23–97.98%, respectively, for standard patulin solution. The coefficients of variations (CV) were 2.96–5.45% and the limit of detection (LOD) was 6 μg/kg. The MSPD method is fast, easy, accurate and reliable. Therefore, the proposed method is applicable to the efficient determination of patulin in the course of apple juice concentrate processing.