Multiple mycotoxins detected in corn samples from five continents (October 2018 - March 2019)

Multiple MYCOTOXINS DETECTED in CORN SAMPLES received from five continents between October 2018 and March 2019

Jog Raj, Hunor Farkaš, Zdenka Jakovčević, Jasna Bošnjak-Neumüller and Marko Vasiljević PATENT CO., Mišićevo, Serbia

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Mycotoxins are the biggest challenge for animal feed producers and therefore, regular monitoring of mycotoxins is necessary.

AIM

The aim of the present study was to screen corn samples for mycotoxins, received from different countries (five continents) between October 2018 and March 2019.

MATERIALS These corn samples were collected by our customers or distributors in different countries.

The corn samples were analysed

by LC-MS/MS triple quad (Agilent 6460 series) based multi-mycotoxin method for quantitation of all mycotoxins (Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), B2, G1 and G2, Ochratoxin A (OTA), Zearalenone (ZON), Deoxynivalenol (DON), FB1&B2, T-2 & HT-2 toxins) regulated in EU in feed

by EU Directive 2002/32/EC, 2006/576/EC and 2013/165/EU:

RESULTS

A total of 400 samples were received for analysis at PATENT CO. More than 95% of the samples were found contaminated with one or more mycotoxins.

Aflatoxins: AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 y AFG2 Ochratoxin A (OTA) Zearalenone (ZON) Deoxinivalenol (DON) FB1 & FB2 Toxins T-2 & HT-2

400 samples 95% contaminated

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The summary of mycotoxins analysis as per continent is as below:

98% contaminated samples

Table 1. Mycotoxins levels detected (ppb) in corn samples from Asia

ASIA

98 % of the corn samples received from India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Taiwan and Thailand were found contaminated with one or more mycotoxins (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Number (%) of mycotoxins per sample.

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DON

AFB1

FB1

FB2

T-2

OTA

ZON

Average of mycotoxin detected

300

18

1.701

452

19

2

81

Maximum of positives

469

283

9.253

2.327

19

2

340

Median of positives

367

5

1.019

258

19

2

69

Figure 2. Percentage of mycotoxins detected

2 96 100

<LOQ

94

90 80

1 Mycotoxin

70

>1 Mycotoxins

60

94

72

50 40

DON, AFB1, FB1, FB2, T-2, OTA and ZON with an average of 300 ppb, 18 ppb, 1.701 ppb, 452 ppb, 19 ppb, 2 ppb and 81 ppb, respectively, were among the main mycotoxins detected (Table 1) in corn samples from Asia.

30

26

20 10

10 1

0

1

DON AFB1 FB1 FB2 T-2 OTA ZON

FB1 and FB2 were detected in the 94% of corn samples, while AFB1, ZON and DON, 72%, 26% and 10% of the samples, respectively (Figure 2).

The median for FB1 was 1.019 ppb, FB2 was 258 ppb and for DON median was recorded at 367 ppb.

CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that Fusarium mycotoxins (FB1, FB2, DON, ZON)

and Aflatoxins were detected in 98% of corn samples tested using LC-MS/MS.

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90% contaminated samples

Table 2. Mycotoxins levels detected (ppb) in corn samples from Europe

EUROPE

The corn samples were collected and delivered from Russia, France, Croatia and Balkan countries.

90% of these corn samples were found contaminated with one or more mycotoxins (Figure 3).

DON

AFB1

FB1

FB2

T-2

OTA

ZON

Average of mycotoxin detected

269

19

1.073

335

97

105

43

Maximum of positives

1.526

90

19.128

3.892

673

1.018

87

Median of positives

178

2

314

131

27

12

39

Figure 3. Number (%) of mycotoxins per sample.

10 10

Figure 4. Percentage of mycotoxins detected

67

70

80

60

53

50 40 <LOQ

30

1 Mycotoxin

20

>1 Mycotoxins

10 0

33

25

20

25

4 DON AFB1 FB1 FB2 T-2 OTA ZON

DON, AFB1, FB1, FB2, T-2, OTA and ZON with an average of 269 ppb, 19 ppb, 1.073 ppb, 335 ppb, 97 ppb, 105 ppb and 43 ppb, respectively, were among the main mycotoxins detected (Table 2).

By using LC-MS/MS, the following mycotoxins were detected in the samples (Figure 4): FB1 in 67% of the samples FB2 in 53% of the samples DON in 33% of the samples ZON and T-2 in 25% of the samples OTA in 20% of the samples AFB1 in 4% of the samples

The median for FB1 was 314 ppb, FB2 was 131 ppb and for DON median was recorded at 178 ppb.

CONCLUSIONS Therefore, these results demonstrate that Fusarium mycotoxins (FB1, FB2, DON, ZON) and Ochratoxin

A were mostly detected in the corn harvested in 2018 from European countries.

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98% contaminated

Table 3. Mycotoxins levels detected (ppb) in corn samples from Africa

samples

AFRICA

The lab received corn samples from Uganda, Kenya, South Africa and Egypt. 98% of these corn samples were found contaminated with one or more mycotoxins (Figure 5).

DON

AFB1

FB1

FB2

T-2

OTA

ZON

Average of mycotoxin detected

405

11

465

196

8

77

43

Maximum of positives

2.274

29

2.271

661

17

372

87

Median of positives

247

2

232

124

6

38

39

Figure 6. Percentage of mycotoxins detected

Figure 5. Number (%) of mycotoxins per sample.

90 80

30

84

70

2

68

60 50

46

40 <LOQ

30

1 Mycotoxin

20

>1 Mycotoxins

10

32

30 11

8 0

0

DON AFB1 FB1 FB2 T-2 OTA ZON

DON, AFB1, FB1, FB2, OTA and ZON with an average of 405 ppb, 11 ppb, 465 ppb, 196 ppb, 8 ppb and 77 ppb were among the main mycotoxins detected (Table 3).

Through LC-MS/MS, the following mycotoxins were detected in the samples of corn that were analyzed (Figure 6): DON in 84% of the samples FB1 in 46% of the samples FB2 in 32% of the samples AFB1 in 8% of the samples ZON in 30% of the samples OTA in 11% of the samples

FB1 with 232 ppb median, FB2 with 124 ppb and DON with 247 ppb median were detected in corn samples.

CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that Fusarium mycotoxins (FB1, DON, FB2, ZON)

were present in most of the corn samples tested for mycotoxins using LC-MS/MS.

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Table 4. Mycotoxins levels detected (ppb) in corn samples from North and South America

99% contaminated samples

NORTH & SOUTH AMERICA The lab also received corn samples from USA, Mexico, Chile, Brazil and Argentina. 99% of these corn samples were found contaminated with one or more mycotoxins (Figure 7).

DON

AFB1

FB1

FB2

T-2

OTA

ZON

Average of mycotoxin detected

505

1

1.609

460

15

2

139

Maximum of positives

1475

2

17.676

5.424

22

2

450

Median of positives

463

1

736

190

14

2

95

Figure 8. Percentage of mycotoxins detected

Figure 7. Number (%) of mycotoxins per sample

120

16

99

100

1

83

80 60 40

<LOQ 1 Mycotoxin

80

20 0

22

21 8

6

3

DON AFB1 FB1 FB2 T-2 OTA ZON

>1 Mycotoxins

Using LC-MS/MS, the following mycotoxins were detected in the samples analyzed (Figure 8): DON, AFB1, FB1, FB2, T-2, OTA and ZON with an average of 505 ppb, 1 ppb, 1.609 ppb, 460 ppb, 15 ppb, 2 ppb and 139 ppb were among the main mycotoxins detected, respectively (Table 4).

DON in 22% of the samples FB1 in 80% of the samples FB2 in 99% of the samples AFB1 in 8% of the samples ZON in 21% of the samples OTA in 3% of the samples T-2 in 6% of the samples

FB1 with 736 ppb median, FB2 with 190 ppb, ZON with 95 ppb and DON with 463 ppb median were detected in corn samples using LC-MS/MS.

CONCLUSIONS Analysis of these results show that Fusarium mycotoxins remained in

high percentage in the tested corn samples using LC-MS/MS

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Los resultados From this mycotoxin obtenidos muestran survey, mycotoxins que el adsorbente remain a topic of MP es un concern in potente animal adsorbente que feed and multipuede reducir los mycotoxin efectos nocivos de occurrence las micotoxinas en continues to be a los parámetros threat.

Constantde salud y producción monitoring and en animales. research on the prevention and or remediation of mycotoxin contamination is therefore necessary.

OVERALL CONCLUSIONS

This survey concludes that corn harvested around the world in 2018 is mostly contaminated with Fumonisins.

Other than Fumonisins, DON in 30%, AFB1 26%, ZON in 21% and OTA in 11 % samples were also detected.

In more than 400 samples analyzed worldwide, Fumonisins were present in most of the samples (78%) with a median of 668 ppb and a total of 95% corn samples were found contaminated with one or more mycotoxins.

Field mycotoxins such as Fumonisins, DON and ZON were the most commonly detected in corn samples received from North and South America, Africa and Europe.

Fumonisins and AFB1 were predominant in Asia.

Global prevalence of mycotoxins in different regions based on percentage of positive corn samples (Oct 2018-March 2019)

Europe

North, Central and South America DON AFB1 FB1 FB2 T-2 OTA ZON

22% 8% 80% 99% 6% 3% 21%

DON AFB1 FB1 FB2 T-2 OTA ZON

33% 4% 67% 53% 25% 20% 25%

Asia

Africa

Percentage of detected mycotoxins in corn samples Moderate risk: 0 – 25% of samples above risk threshold High risk: 26 – 50% of samples above risk threshold Severe risk: 51 – 75% of samples above risk threshold

DON AFB1 FB1 FB2 T-2 OTA ZON

84% 8% 46% 32% 0% 11% 30%

DON AFB1 FB1 FB2 T-2 OTA ZON

10% 72% 94% 94% 1% 1% 26%

Extreme risk: 76 – 100% of samples above risk threshold

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