engleski

The project “Investigation of the impact of climate change on the development of moulds, mycotoxins, and grain quality with proposed measures” – preliminary results of mycotoxin analysis and quality parameters

Cereals are essential as an important source of energy and nutrients for a healthy diet, but at the same time represent a food at high risk for mycotoxins. Mold growth and mycotoxin formation are strongly influenced by factors such as temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, type of subtract, and insect infestation. The intensity of changes in these factors can lead to disruptions of the known pattern of mycotoxin synthesis, affecting the entire food safety system. During the two-year period of our research project, six samplings were conducted on three cereal varieties (maize, barley, and wheat) from three different Croatian regions: northern, eastern, and central Croatia. A total of 450 samples were taken during growth in the field, immediately after harvest, and after storage in warehouses and households. All samples were analysed for the presence and characterization of molds and mycotoxins and for selected quality parameters of cereal grains. For identification and quantification of mycotoxins, aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, fumonisins B1 and B2 ; T-2 and HT-2 toxins, citrinin, and patulin, liquid chromatographytandem mass spectrometry (LC- MS/MS) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) techniques were used. Different techniques such as gas chromatography- flame ionization detection (GC-FID), HPLC, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), etc. were used to determine the nutritional parameters (energy value, water, ash, fats, saturated fatty acids, carbohydrates, sugars, crude fibers, proteins, salt), selected minerals (magnesium, zinc, iron, phosphorus), and vitamins (E, B3, B5). The preliminary results indicate that molds are present in all cereals regardless of the area and time of sampling, as well as yeast. Regarding mycotoxins, citrinin and patulin were not quantified in any sample. Ochratoxin A was quantified in 1.33 % of samples, Aflatoxins in 3.11 %, T2 and HT2 toxins in 10.2 %, zearalenone in 15.1 %, fumonisins FB1 and FB2 in 17.3 %, and deoxynivalenol in 26.9 %. The highest value of 13 mg/kg was found in the maize sample, during the harvesting in the first year of the project.

Contaminants in cereals ; food safety ; food quality ; mycotoxin synthesis ; weather changes

nije evidentirano