Presence of aflatoxins and deoxynivalenol in seeds of maize, spelt wheat and soya bean - preliminary research

Abstract

Mycotoxins naturally contaminate plant - based food. Since organic production does not allow the use of synthetic pesticides in plant protection, many researchers state that organically produced foods are more contaminated with mycotoxins than conven?tional ones. In this regard, the aim of this study was to observe the content of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 and deoxynivalenol, as the most common mycotoxins, in organically and conventionally produced seeds of maize, spelt wheat and soya been during the 2015-2017 period. The HPLC/FLD and HPLC/DAD were used to determine the presence of aflatoxins and deoxynivalenol, respectively. The highest number of samples was not positive to the presence of these mycotoxins. Aflatoxin B1 (1.16 ?g/kg) and deoxynivalenol (101.53 ?g/kg) were detected only in the sample of organic maize harvested in 2015. Based on obtained results, no conclusion can be drawn on the effects of organic and conventional production on contents of mycotoxins in seeds of maize, spelt wheat and soya bean, and further long-term studies are required.

Organic plant products are of more improved chemical composition than conventional ones

“…Preventive protecttion measures in the organic mode of production, despite the exclusion of classical fungicides, provide the maintenance of a low level of infection, when present mycotoxins do not exceed the maximum tolerable concentrations. According to Golijan, Lekić, Vuković & Sečanski (2020), who observed the content of mycotoxins in organically and conventionally produced seed of maize, spelt wheat and soya bean, there was only one sample of organic maize contaminated with aflatoxin B1 (1.16 µg/kg) and deoxynivalenol (101.53 µg/kg), in concentrations bellow maximum tolerable values given in the Regulation on the maximum allowed quantities of residues of plant protection products in food and feed. Numerous researchers throughout the world have been for many years engaged in comparative studies of differences in the chemical composition between organically and conventionally grown plants and their products.…”