title: Mould and mycotoxin contamination of pig feed in northwest Croatia.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the contamination of pig feed with moulds and the occurrence of mycotoxins. A total of 30 feed samples were collected at different animal feed factories in the north-western part of Croatia. Mycological analysis showed that the total number of moulds ranged from 1 × 10(3) to 1 × 10(5) cfu/g with samples contaminated with Aspergillus spp. (63 %), Penicillium spp. (80 %), and Fusarium spp. (77 %). A determination of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA), deoxynivalenol (DON), T-2 toxin (T-2) and fumonisin (FUM) concentration was done using the validated ELISA method. The mean concentrations of AFB1 (0.5 ± 0.6 μg/kg), OTA (1.53 ± 0.42 μg/kg) and FUM (405 ± 298 μg/kg) were below the maximum levels or recommended values in the EU in all the investigated samples. The observed results indicated an increased contamination of pig feed with Fusarium mycotoxins DON and ZEA with mean concentrations of 817 ± 447 and 184 ± 214 μg/kg, higher than recommended in 40 and 17 % of the analysed samples, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska 143, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia. pleadin@veinst.hr
authors.forename: Jelka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pleadin
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zadravec
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Perši
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vulić
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jaki
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitak
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017523:Croatia; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005670:Fusarium / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D010407:Penicillium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014255:Trichothecenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D015025:Zearalenone / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009183:Mycotoxins; D014255:Trichothecenes; D015025:Zearalenone; C007262:deoxynivalenol