Abstract: A QuEChERS-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for the determination of auramine O, curcumin, deoxymethylcurcumin and dideoxymethylcurcumin in durian. The samples were extracted by 0.1% formic acid acetonitrile, purified by 100 mg C18 and 100 mg anhydrous magnesium sulfate. Using 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and 0.1% formic acid acetonitrile as mobile phase, the samples were separated by Poroshell 120 EC-C18 column, monitored by multiple reaction monitoring in a positive ion mode, and quantitatively analyzed by an external standard method. The results showed that four compounds had good linear relationships in the mass concentration range, and the determination coefficient R2 was > 0.999. The limits of detection and quantitation of auramine O were 0.4 μg/kg and 1.0 μg/kg, respectively. The limits of detection and quantification of curcumin, deoxymethylcurcumin and dideoxymethylcurcumin were 2.0 μg/kg and 5.0 μg/kg, respectively. The average recovery rates were 88.3%-109.3% and the relative standard deviations were 0.59%-8.93% at low, middle and high levels. The developed method is rapid, convenient, sensitive and accurate, and can be used for the determination of auramine O, curcumin, deoxymethylcurcumin and dideoxymethylcurcumin in durian.

Key words: QuEChERS; high performance liquid chromatogeny-tandem mass spectrometry; auramine O; curcumin; deoxymethylcurcumin; dideoxymethylcurcumin