A SURVEY on MYCOTOXINS DETECTED in MAIZE samples

The samples were analysed by UHPLC-based multi- mycotoxin method for the determination and quantitation of all mycotoxins (Aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2, Ochratoxin A, Zearalenone, Deoxynivalenol, Fumonisin B1 and B2, T-2 and HT-2 toxins) regulated in feed (Directive 2002/32/EC, Commission Recommendation 2006/576/EC, and Commission Recommendation 2013/165/EU) by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry.

The method is based on ‘dilute-and-shoot’ principle.
It involves two-step extraction and centrifugation of the extracts.
To compensate the matrix effects in electrospray ionisation, the extracts are mixed with 13C-labelled internal standards for each group of mycotoxins (U-[13C17]-Aflatoxin B1, U-[13C15]- Deoxynivalenol, U-[13C18]-Zearalenone, U-[13C20]-Ochratoxin A, U-[13C34]-Fumonisin B1, and U- [13C24]-T-2) before injection onto LC-MS/MS (Agilent 6460c LC-MS/MS).

A total of 113 samples were received for analysis at PATENT CO., Mišicevo, Serbia.

Out of these, 53% samples were found contaminated with mycotoxins and 28% of these contaminated samples were found to contain more than one mycotoxin.

Aflatoxin B1, Fumonisin B1 and B2, and HT-2 toxin were detected in 13%, 44%, 24% and 8% samples, respectively.

• Aflatoxin B1 ranging from 0.59 to 5,644 ppb
• HT-2 toxin ranging from 9 to 66 ppb
• Fumonisin B2 ranging from 53 to 2,540 ppb
• Fumonisin B1 ranging from 48 to 8,623 ppb

Therefore, this survey concludes that maize harvested in 2017 has high levels of Aflatoxin B1, Fumonisin B1 and B2 in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina regions.