Fumonisin B1 in maize, wheat and barley grain in Serbia

A wide variety of commodities in the world have been analyzed for fumonisins contamination. However, they have mostly been reported in maize and maize-based foods and feeds. Just a few scientific researches were conducted to obtain results on natural contamination of wheat and barley with these mycotoxins. This survey was conducted to evaluate fumonisin B1 contamination in maize, wheat and barley grain in Serbia. A total of 203 maize, 180 wheat and 120 barley samples were obtained from different local warehouses between October 2007 and June 2009. Concentration of FB1 were analysed with the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Positive results were found in 70.7%, 60.6% and 34.1%, in the maize, wheat and barley samples, respectively. FB 1 concentration varied from 750 to 4900 ?g kg-1, and the mean levels recorded were: 1225.7 kg-1 in maize; 852.7 ?g kg-1 in wheat; and 768.2 ?g kg-1 in barley. The mycotoxin contamination of cereals was affected by factors such as origin resistance, droughtstress, and insect damage and differed between the years of investigation The results obtained in this survey revealed that FB1 is frequent contaminant of cereal grains in Serbia. Considering that these products are consumed in large amounts either directly or as components of foods and feeds, the levels of contamination reported herein indicate a potential threat to animal and public health.