engleski

Occurrence of Fusarium spp. and Penicillium spp. and relevant mycotoxins (Fumonisin B_1, B_2 and Ochratoxin A) in maize from Croatia

The occurrence of Penicillium spp. and Fusarium spp. has been investigated, together with the relevant mycotoxins (ochratoxin A, fumonisin B1 and B2) in maize samples collected in 1996 and 1997 in 14 counties of Croatia. Almost half of the examined samples (45 out of 105 in 1996 and 50 out of 104 in 1997) were obtained from Brodsko- Posavska county, the main area of Balkan endemic nephropathy in Croatia. Ochratoxin A (OTA) was found in 10 samples (10%) of the 1996 and 36 samples (35%) of the 1997 crops with mean concentrations of 37.9 ng/g and 57.1 ng/g in positive samples, and highest concentration of 223.6 ng/g and 613.7 ng/g respectively. Comparison of incidence of OTA contamination between endemic and non-endemic areas of Balkan nephropathy showed no difference for 1996 samples. On the contrary, a significant difference (P=0,01) was found between the two areas in 1997 samples, with 50% and 20% incidence of contaminated samples in the endemic and non-endemic area respectively, with relevant OTA mean concentration of 73.4 ng/g and 20.2 ng/g in positive samples. High incidence of infection by Penicillium spp. (potential OTA producers) was found in all tested samples, with mean values of 88% and 93% in samples of 1996 and 1997 respectively. With respect to fumonisin B1 (FB1) and B2(FB2), all but one of the 1996 samples were contaminated, with the highest and mean concentrations of 11661 ng/g and 645 ng/g in positive samples (FB1+FB2) respectively. Lower contamination levels (mean 134 ng/g, maximum 2524 ng/g) were found in 1997 samples, although with similar incidence of positive samples (93%). The results of fumonisin analysis were in agreement with the mycological analysis, showing higher incidence of Fusarium infection in samples of 1996 than those of 1997.

Fusarium; Penicillium; corn; mycotoxins

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