title: Mould contamination and co-occurrence of mycotoxins in maize grain in Croatia.
abstract: Maize grain samples (n=15) collected during the autumn of 2002 were analyzed for the presence of moulds and mycotoxins fumonisin B1 (FB1), fumonisin B2 (FB2), zearalenone (ZEA), and ochratoxin A (OTA). Mycological analysis showed that all samples were contaminated with Fusarium spp. and Penicillium spp., while Aspergillus spp. were found in 5 samples. F. proliferatum and F. verticilloides, the producers of fumonisins, were found in 14 and 8 samples, respectively, while F. graminearum, the producer of ZEA, was present in all samples. The most frequent mycotoxins were FB1 (15/15) and ZEA (12/15), followed by OTA (7/15), while FB2 was found in only two samples. Seven samples were contaminated with two mycotoxins, seven with three, and one sample with only one mycotoxin. The concentrations (mean+/-SD) of FB1, ZEA, and OTA in positive samples were 459.5+/-314.6, 1.70+/-0.80, and 1.40+/-0.55 microg kg-1, respectively, and the concentrations of FB2 in two samples were 68.4 and 3084.0 microg kg-1. In general, such low mycotoxin concentrations are not a significant source of exposure to humans, but they may contribute to exposure from other commodities. A few samples with extreme values indicate that strict control is needed.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Toxicology, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb Croatia. adomijan@imi.hr
authors.forename: Ana-Marija
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Domijan
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peraica
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cvjetković
authors.forename: Suncana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turcin
authors.forename: Zeljko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jurjević
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ivić
mesh_terms: D001230:Aspergillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017523:Croatia; D005516:Food Microbiology; D037341:Fumonisins / Q000032:analysis; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005670:Fusarium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D009793:Ochratoxins / Q000032:analysis; D010407:Penicillium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011891:Rain; D012621:Seasons; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D015025:Zearalenone / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D037341:Fumonisins; D009183:Mycotoxins; D009793:Ochratoxins; C025589:ochratoxin A; C056933:fumonisin B1; D015025:Zearalenone