Determination of penicillic acid in cereals by solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC − MS/MS) method was established for accurately determining penicillic acid in cereals. The cereal samples were extracted using acidified acetonitrile, purified by solid-phase extraction, and derived using N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl) acetamide for GC − MS/MS analysis. Recovery experiments were conducted with low, medium, and high concentrations. The recovery rates were 72.1%–89.8%, the relative standard deviations were less than 8.6%, and the limit of quantification was 20 μg/kg. The established method was rapid, efficient, sensitive, and specific, meeting the requirements for the determination of penicillic acid in cereals. The method exhibits high sensitivity, accurate results, and stable recovery, making it suitable for detecting penicillic acid residues in cereals.