Mould contamination and co-occurrence of mycotoxins in maize grain in Croatia.

Maize grain samples (n=15) collected during the autumn of 2002 were analyzed for the presence of moulds and mycotoxins fumonisin B1 (FB1), fumonisin B2 (FB2), zearalenone (ZEA), and ochratoxin A (OTA). Mycological analysis showed that all samples were contaminated with Fusarium spp. and Penicillium spp., while Aspergillus spp. were found in 5 samples. F. proliferatum and F. verticilloides, the producers of fumonisins, were found in 14 and 8 samples, respectively, while F. graminearum, the producer of ZEA, was present in all samples. The most frequent mycotoxins were FB1 (15/15) and ZEA (12/15), followed by OTA (7/15), while FB2 was found in only two samples. Seven samples were contaminated with two mycotoxins, seven with three, and one sample with only one mycotoxin. The concentrations (mean+/-SD) of FB1, ZEA, and OTA in positive samples were 459.5+/-314.6, 1.70+/-0.80, and 1.40+/-0.55 microg kg-1, respectively, and the concentrations of FB2 in two samples were 68.4 and 3084.0 microg kg-1. In general, such low mycotoxin concentrations are not a significant source of exposure to humans, but they may contribute to exposure from other commodities. A few samples with extreme values indicate that strict control is needed.