Open Access

Bernd Spangenberg, Corinna Henninger, Sabrina Doll

• We present a video-densitometric high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) quantification method for patulin in apple juice, developed in a vertical chamber from the starting point to a distance of 50 mm, using MTBE, n-pentane (9 + 5, v/v) as mobile phase. After separation the plate is sprayed with methyl-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride monohydrate (MBTH) solution (40 mg inWe present a video-densitometric high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) quantification method for patulin in apple juice, developed in a vertical chamber from the starting point to a distance of 50 mm, using MTBE, n-pentane (9 + 5, v/v) as mobile phase. After separation the plate is sprayed with methyl-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride monohydrate (MBTH) solution (40 mg in 20 mL methanol) and heated at 105 °C for 15 min. Patulin zones are transformed into yellow spots. The quantification is based on direct measurements using an inexpensive 48-bit flatbed scanner for color measurements (in red, green, and blue). Evaluation of the blue channel makes the measurements very specific. Quantification in fluorescence was also done by use of a 16-bit CCD-camera and UV-366 nm illumination as well as using a HPTLC DAD-scanner. For linearization the extended Kubelka–Munk expression for data transformation was used. The range of linearity covers more than two magnitudes and lies between 5 and 800 ng patulin. The extraction of 20 g apple juice and an extract application on plate up to 50 µL allows statistically defined checking the limit of detection (LOD) of 50 ng patulin per track, which is equivalent to 50 µg patulin per kg apple juice.…