Presence of some mycotoxins in feedstuffs in Bulgaria during 2017

Nadezhda Sertova and Maya Ignatova

Abstract: Abstract: Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungi which can affect a variety of feedstuffs. These compounds elicit toxicological effects which represent risk for both humans and animals. This study aimed to investigate the presence of mycotoxins Zearalenone (ZEA), Ochratoxin A (OTA), Deoxinivalenol (DON), Aflatoxin, Fumonisin as natural contaminants of maize, wheat, barley and sunflower. The samples were analyzed by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay – ELISA. A total number of 59 samples had been investigated. The content of DON for barley was estimated in the range between 0.544 and 2.29 mg/kg. The contamination with aflatoxin was between 2 and 14.49 μg/kg. The highest concentration was estimated in one sample of sunflower. More favorable substrate for Fumonisins accumulation was maize.
The occurrence of ZEA varied from 51.65 μg/kg to 126.54 μg/kg in wheat and 48.67–79.64 μg/kg in barley. OTA contamination was between 4.86–7.32 μg/kg in wheat and 4.46–11.70 μg/kg in barley respectively. These results suggest a high percentage of ZEA and OTA, especially in wheat and barley.

Keywords: barley; ELISA; maize; mycotoxins; sunflower, wheat

Date published: 2020-03-31