Exploring cyanotoxins in food supplements using state-of-the-art LC-MS/MS to support food safety and risk assessment

The consumption of cyanobacterial-based food supplements is increasing, driven by growing interest in natural and sustainable sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds. However, these products may also contain cyanotoxins and other potentially harmful secondary metabolites, raising important questions regarding their safety for consumers.

In this BSc/MSc thesis project, you will investigate the occurrence of cyanotoxins in food supplements available on the Nordic market using state-of-the-art liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The project will contribute to improving our understanding of the potential exposure of consumers to cyanotoxins through food supplements and will support the development of analytical approaches for their monitoring.

The project will involve:

• LC-MS/MS method validation for the quantitative determination of different classes of cyanotoxins.
• Expansion of existing analytical methods to increase the number and/or range of cyanotoxins that can be simultaneously detected and quantified.

Depending on the student's interests and project scope, the work may include sample preparation, method optimization, instrumental analysis, data processing, and interpretation of analytical results.