Determination of mycophenolic acid in meat products using mixed mode reversed phase-anion exchange clean-up and liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry

A method for determination of mycophenolic acid (MPA) in dry-cured ham, fermented sausage and liver pâté is described. MPA was extracted from meat with bicarbonate–acetonitrile, further cleaned-up by mixed mode reversed phase-anion exchange and detected using a LC–MS system with electrospray ionisation-time-of-flight detection. The limit of detection was 4 μg/kg in sausage and 6 μg/kg in ham and pâté. The method was successfully used for quantification of MPA in dry-cured ham and liver pâté artificially inoculated with Penicillium brevicompactum. Levels ranged from 190 μg/kg in centre to 11 mg/kg in surface of ham and from 150 μg/kg in bottom to 14 mg/kg in surface of pâté.