Development of a GC–MS/SIM method for the determination of phytosteryl esters

•A new GC–MS/SIM method has been developed to analyze phytosteryl esters in foods.•The assay takes only ten minutes without saponification and liquid-liquid extraction.•Corn germ oil, rice bran oil, and wheat germ oil were the three real food samples tested.•The new method has high precision and accuracy based on the three food samples tested.•This new method has great potential for application in the food industry.