Abstract:

Mycotoxins are a group of important risk factors of food safety. Simultaneous extraction of mycotoxins from
complex sample matrices is a prerequisite to establish a high-throughput analytical method which in turn will provide
useful test data for reducing the human health risks posed by mycotoxin exposure. QuEChERS, an acronym for Quick,
Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe, is a commonly used sample preparation technique. In this paper, the principle
of QuEChERS technique and its applications in mycotoxin analysis are reviewed. The advantages and disadvantages of
different extraction solvents and sorbents in QuEChERS are discussed on the basis of the matrix effects and the chemical
and physical characteristics of mycotoxins. Finally, some improvements and future trends in the application of QuEChERS
technique for mycotoxin analysis are proposed.

Key words: QuEChERS, mycotoxins, food, agricultural products