UHPLC–MS/MS determination of triazole pesticides in camel milk: Occurrence and probabilistic health risk assessment

Camel milk is regarded as a quality dairy product globally, especially in the United Arab Emirates. To protect consumers from pesticide contamination of camel milk, strict and regular monitoring of pesticides is particularly important. Therefore, in this study, a high-throughput ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry methodology was developed and applied for monitoring eight triazoles in camel milk samples ( n = 40). Extraction of triazoles from raw and commercially available pasteurized camel milk samples using the QuEChERS method was effectively conducted. The proposed analytical method exhibited excellent linearity (R 2 ≥ 0.992), coupled with high accuracy and precision, confirming its reliability for the quantitative determination of triazoles in camel milk. Low limits of detection and quantification of 1.30–1.50 and 4.28–4.96 μg/kg, respectively, were achieved. Recovery values ranged from 71.5% to 118.8%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) ≤ 20%, confirming satisfactory accuracy and precision in accordance with SANTE/11312/2021 guidelines. Triazoles were detected in various milk samples at concentrations lower than permissible limits established by international regulatory authorities in the range of 1.56 to 5.50 μg/kg, all below the established maximum residue limits. The most frequently detected triazole was difenoconazole 17 (42.5%) among the samples analyzed. Health risk assessments revealed that the studied samples did not contain high amounts of triazole pesticides. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the occurrence of triazole pesticide residues in camel milk and integrating probabilistic dietary risk assessment, thereby providing essential baseline data for food safety monitoring in the Gulf region. • 8 triazoles were detected in camel milk samples using UPLC-MS/MS. • A highly sensitive and selective method was developed for the triazole analysis. • Triazoles were found to be below than MRLs established by EU and Codex. • Health risk assessments indicated no significant risk from triazole pesticides.