Determination of contaminants in turmeric: Validation of LC-HRMS methods for the determination of pesticides and mycotoxins

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is extensively used for culinary, medicinal, and cosmetic purposes and as a dietary supplement. Mycotoxins and pesticides could contaminate turmeric, affecting the quality of turmeric products and becoming a health risk for consumers. The residuality of these contaminants is restricted and requires low quantification limits that comply with regulations' acceptance levels. Turmeric's matrix complexity and the assortment of target pollutants require special sample treatment. We employed two cleaning agents from the UNE-EN 15662 Standard and validated LC-HRMS analytical methods for 195 pesticides and five mycotoxins. The achieved quantification limits were under 4 μg kg−1 for mycotoxins and 10 μg kg−1 for pesticides, complying with regulation's requirements. The recovery values ranged between 70 and 120 %, with relative standard deviations below 20 %.