Mycotoxins detected in corn, soya and sorghum samples from Bolivia, Columbia, Argentina and Chile

MULTIPLE MYCOTOXINS DETECTED IN CORN, SOYA AND SORGHUM SAMPLES FROM BOLIVIA, COLUMBIA, ARGENTINA, AND CHILE

Jog Raj*, Catalina Nicholls, Alexandro Marchioro and Marko Vasiljević PATENT CO, DOO., Vlade Ćetkovića 1A, 24 211, Mišićevo, Serbia Corresponding author: jog.raj@patent-co.com

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The aim of the present study was to analyze corn, soya, and sorghum samples for mycotoxins from Chile, Colombia, Argentina, and Bolivia.

This mycotoxins survey was conducted between January and June 2021.

In Colombia and Bolivia this analysis was performed with REVEL Q+MAX kits and in Argentina and Chile REVEL Q+ kits (Neogen) were used for analysis of mycotoxins from these samples.

The samples were analyzed for: Total aflatoxins Total fumonisins Deoxynivalenol (DON) Zearalenone (ZEN) T-2 toxin The results of this survey are presented as below.

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ARGENTINA

The average of each mycotoxin detected (ppb) in the corn samples from Argentina is shown in Table 1.

Fumonisins and DON were the predominant mycotoxins detected with a high average contamination level found.

Aflatoxins, ZEN, and T-2 were found to be present at lower average contamination levels.

Aflatoxins, fumonisins, DON, ZEN, and T-2 toxin were detected in all (100%) corn samples.

All the corn samples (100%) from Argentina had more than 1 mycotoxin per sample.

Therefore, corn samples from Argentina had cooccurrence of more than one mycotoxin.

100%

Table 1. Average of mycotoxins (ppb) detected in corn samples from Argentina.

Aflatoxins

Fumonisins

DON

ZEN

T-2

Average

2

768

2059

128

50

Maximum

3

2906

7000

175

50

Minimum

2

300

300

53

50

100

100

100

100

100

% of positives

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CHILE

Table 2 shows the average of each mycotoxin detected (ppb) in the corn samples from Chile.

Fumonisins were the predominant mycotoxins detected whereas aflatoxins, DON, ZEN, and T-2 were found to be present at lower average contamination levels.

All the corn samples had aflatoxins, DON and Fumonisins, but only 73% samples had ZEN and 80% samples had T-2 toxin.

100%

All the corn samples (100%) from Chile, had more than 1 mycotoxin. Therefore, corn samples from Chile had cooccurrence of more than one mycotoxin.

Table 2. Average of mycotoxins (ppb) detected in corn samples from Chile.

Aflatoxins

Fumonisins

DON

ZEN

T-2

Average

2

686

360

296

40

Maximum

3

4427

724

775

40

Minimum

2

300

300

50

40

100

100

100

73

80

% of positives

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BOLIVIA Table 3 shows the average of each mycotoxin detected (ppb) in the corn and sorghum samples from Bolivia.

Fumonisins were the predominant mycotoxins detected in corn, with a high average contamination level found.

Aflatoxins and ZEN were found to be present at lower average contamination levels, whereas T-2 was only detected in sorghum samples and DON was not detected at all in any of the samples.

Aflatoxins were present in 67% samples, fumonisins and ZEN were only present in 33 % corn samples.

In sorghum samples 50% had aflatoxins and 25% had fumonisins, ZEN and T-2.

Table 3. Average of mycotoxins (ppb) detected in corn and sorghum samples from Bolivia.

Aflatoxins

Fumonisins

DON

ZEN

T-2

Average Corn

5

4100

<LOD

68

<LOD

% of positives Corn samples

67

33

<LOD

33

<LOD

Average Sorghum

4

410

<LOD

198

61

% of positives Sorghum samples

50

25

<LOD

25

25

<LOD =Less than limit of detection.

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100%

As per Figure 1, all the samples of corn and sorghum (100%) from Bolivia demonstrated the cooccurrence of mycotoxins as samples had more than 1 mycotoxin.

Percentage of mycotoxins

Figure 1. Number of mycotoxins per corn sample from Bolivia.

100

100

100

80 60 40 20 0

0

0 < LOQ

0

0

1 Mycotoxin

>Mycotoxin

Number of mycotoxins per sample Corn

Sorghum

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COLOMBIA

Table 4 shows the average of each mycotoxin detected (ppb) in the corn samples from Colombia.

Fumonisins, aflatoxins, ZEN, and DON were the predominant mycotoxins detected with low contamination level found.

Aflatoxins were present in 22% samples, fumonisins in 100 %, whereas DON and ZEN were detected in 78% corn samples.

Table 4. Average of mycotoxins (ppb) detected in corn samples from Colombia.

Aflatoxins

Fumonisins

DON

ZEN

Average

3

807

809

173

Maximum

3

2700

2600

393

Minimum

3

340

370

89

22

100

78

78

% of positives

7

100%

Table 5 shows the average of each mycotoxin detected (ppb) in the soya samples from Columbia.

All the samples of corn and soya from Colombia had more than 1 mycotoxins, so cooccurrence of mycotoxins was detected in all the samples.

Fumonisins, ZEN and aflatoxins were the predominant mycotoxins detected in the soya samples.

Aflatoxins were present only in 7% soya samples whereas 100% samples contained fumonisins and ZEN. DON and T-2 toxin were not detected in soya samples from Colombia.

Table 5. Average of mycotoxins (ppb) detected in soya samples from Colombia.

Aflatoxins

Fumonisins

DON

ZEN

Average

3

807

809

173

Maximum

3

2700

2600

393

Minimum

3

340

370

89

22

100

78

78

% of positives

Percentage of mycotoxins

Figure 2. Number of mycotoxins per sample from Colombia.

100

100

100

80 60 40 20 0

0

0 < LOQ

0

0

1 Mycotoxin

>1 Mycotoxin

Number of mycotoxins per sample Corn

Soya

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CONCLUSIONS In this mycotoxins survey, corn, soya, and sorghum samples from Chile, Colombia, Argentina, and Bolivia were analyzed for mycotoxins using Neogen kits.

The analysis showed that the samples of corn, sorghum and soya had cooccurrence of more than one mycotoxin in all the nations.

There are no safe limits for cooccurrence of mycotoxins and, therefore, the use of appropriate mycotoxin binders is recommended to reduce the effect of these mycotoxins in animals and to reduce carryover of these mycotoxins from animals to humans.

This survey has clearly demonstrated that from season to season, crops can be contaminated with mycotoxins and, therefore, regular monitoring of raw materials intended for animals’ consumption becomes indispensable.

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