Aflatoksin M1 u sirovom mlijeku u regiji Vojvodine

Aflatoxin М1 was in the spotlight of public attention in Serbia and in the region in 2013 due to high level of this mycotoxin found in milk and milk products. Maximum allowed concentration of aflatoxin M1 in milk by EU regulation is 50 ng/kg, while in the Republic of Serbia, allowed concentration by the current regulation is 250 ng/kg. During seven months period, from May to November, samples of raw milk were being taken from six farms, with 60 to 330 cows, from the region of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, the Republic of Serbia, for the purpose of monitoring the occurrence of aflatoxin M1 in milk and its variation during this period. The highest level of 39.8 ng/kg was found in November, while the mean value for the whole period was 7.9 ng/kg. None of the samples had higher level of this mycotoxin than allowed by EU regulation or by current legislation of the Republic of Serbia. The second group of samples included a total of 38 samples of raw milk, from the period of October and November, were taken from different producers from the region of Vojvodina and analyzed on the occurrence of aflatoxin M1. In this group of samples, the occurrence of aflatoxin M1 was much higher, with the average value of 230 ng/kg. The highest found value was 864 ng/kg. In 13 samples, the aflatoxin M1 content was higher than the allowed by the legislation of the Republic of Serbia, while in 24 (63.2 %) samples determined concentration exceeded the value allowed by EU regulation. Data from this work suggest huge differences in the occurrence of aflatoxin M1 in milk between the producers in this region. Regular monitoring is necessary to avoid situation with the elevated level of aflatoxin M1 in milk. This measure will protect both the consumers and the producers of milk and milk product.Aflatoksin M1 je bio u središtu pozornosti javnosti u Srbiji ali i u regiji u 2013. godini, zbog visoke razine u mlijeku i mliječnim proizvodima. Najveća je dopuštena koncentracija aflatoksina M1 u mlijeku po propisu EU 50 ng/kg, dok je u Republici Srbiji dopuštena koncentracija prema važećem propisu 250 ng/kg. Uzorci sirovog mlijeka prikupljani su sa šest gospodarstava, sa 60 do 330 krava, s područja Autonomne Pokrajine Vojvodine, Republike Srbije, kontinuirano tijekom sedam mjeseci razdoblja (od svibnja do studenog), u svrhu praćenja pojave aflatoksina M1 u mlijeku i njegova promjena u tom razdoblju. Najviša razina 39,82 ng/kg pronađena je u studenome, dok je srednja vrijednost za cijelo razdoblje bila 7,94 ng/kg. Nijedan od svih uzoraka nije imao višu razinu ovog mikotoksina od razine dopuštene propisom EU ili važećem propisu Republike Srbije. Druga skupina uzoraka, ukupno 38 uzoraka sirovog mlijeka, iz razdoblja listopad/ studeni, uzeto je od različitih proizvođača iz regije Vojvodine i analizirano na pojavu aflatoksina M1. U ovoj skupini uzoraka pojava aflatoksina M1 bila je znatno veća, s prosječnom vrijednošću od 230 ng/kg i najvišom utvrđenom od 864 ng/kg. U 13 (34,27 %) uzoraka utvrđena je koncentracija aflatoksina M1 veća od dopuštene po zakonodavstvu Republike Srbije, dok su u 24 (63,16%) uzorka utvrđene koncentracije prelazile vrijednosti dopuštene propisom EU. Podaci ovog rada ukazuju na velike razlike u pojavi aflatoksina M1 u mlijeku između proizvođača u ovoj regiji. Redovito praćenje je potrebno da bi se izbjegle situacije s povišenom razinom aflatoksina M1 u mlijeku, te da se zaštite i potrošači i proizvođači mlijeka i mliječnih proizvoda

Aflatoxin in Maize Silage Collected from AP Vojvodina, Serbia

The aim of this work was to investigate aflatoxin (AF) occurrence in maize silage samples from 2017 harvest. In total, 30 samples of maize silage (whole plant) for nutrition of milking cows were inspected for AF occurrence. The samples originated from three regions (Bačka, Banat and Srem) in autonomous province (AP) of Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia (10 samples collected from each region). In AP Vojvodina, overall AF presence was 67% with its levels ranged from 3.52 to 24.64 µg/kg. Levels were standardized to 12% moisture content in all samples. Regarding each region, the highest presence was observed in Srem (80%) followed by Banat (70%), while the lowest presence was found in Bačka region (50%). However, the average AF contamination levels were not correlated to its presence. The highest AF level of 12.76 µg/kg (ranged from 6.16 to 24.64 µg/kg) was found in Srem region, whereas its lowest level was observed in Banat region (average of 4.40 µg/kg, ranged from 3.52 to 5.28 µg/kg). In the region of Bačka the average AF level was 8.45 µg/kg. Despite high presence, none of the samples contained AF above maximum level set by Serbian regulation (30 µg/kg), while 2 samples from Srem region exceeded the EU maximum level of 20 µg/kg. These results may be a result of warm and dry weather conditions during summer months of 2017, that prevailed on almost entire territory of AP Vojvodina

Deoxynivalenol occurrence in Serbian maize under different weather conditions

The aim of this paper was to investigate deoxynivalenol (DON) occurrence in maize samples originating from two harvest seasons in Serbia. The key differences between harvest seasons were weather conditions, specifically the humidity. The samples were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography with DAD detection, after clean-up on SPE columns. In samples from 2014, DON was found in 82 (100.0%) samples with the average content of 2.517 mg/kg (ranged from 0.368 to 11.343 mg/kg). Two samples exceeded maximum level permitted by EU regulations. However, analyzing larger number of samples (163) from 2015 harvest season, DON was present in 51 (31.3%) samples in significantly lower concentrations (average of 0.662 mg/kg, ranged from 0.106 to 2.628 mg/kg). None of the samples from 2015 exceeded maximum level permitted by EU regulations. The data on DON presence in Serbian maize were in relation to the different weather conditions that prevailed during the two harvest seasons. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 172042

Emerging Fusarium Mycotoxins Fusaproliferin, Beauvericin, Enniatins, and Moniliformin in Serbian Maize

Emerging mycotoxins such as moniliformin (MON), enniatins (ENs), beauvericin (BEA), and fusaproliferin (FUS) may contaminate maize and negatively influence the yield and quality of grain. The aim of this study was to determine the content of emerging Fusarium mycotoxins in Serbian maize from the 2016, 2017, and 2018 harvests. A total of 190 samples from commercial maize production operations in Serbia were analyzed for the presence of MON, ENs, BEA, and FUS using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The obtained results were interpreted together with weather data from each year. MON, BEA, and FUS were major contaminants, while other emerging mycotoxins were not detected or were found in fewer samples (<20%). Overall contamination was highest in 2016 when MON and BEA were found in 50–80% of samples. In 2017 and 2018, high levels of MON, FUS, and BEA were detected in regions with high precipitation and warm weather during the silking phase of maize (July and the beginning of August), when the plants are most susceptible to Fusarium infections. Since environmental conditions in Serbia are favorable for the occurrence of mycotoxigenic fungi, monitoring Fusarium toxins is essential for the production of safe food and feed