Susana Viegas1,2, Ricardo Assunção3,4, Magdalena Twarużek5, Robert Kosicki5, Jan Grajewski5, Carla Viegas1,2. 1. Centro de Investigação em Saúde Pública, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. 2. H&TRC-Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL-Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. 3. Food and Nutrition Department, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal. 4. CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal. 5. Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Experimental Biology, Department of Physiology and Toxicology, Kazimierz Wielki University, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dairy farming feed can be contaminated with mycotoxins, affecting animals' health and milk quality. Dairy farming is also prone to occupational exposure to mycotoxins, and feed is recognized as a source of contamination in the workplace. An exploratory study was developed in a dairy farm located in Portugal intending to assess the mycotoxins present in the feed. RESULTS: All the samples analyzed presented contamination by at least two mycotoxins and up to a maximum of 13 mycotoxins in the same sample. Zearalenone (ZEA) was detected in all the samples (n = 10) followed by deoxynivalenol (DON), which was reported in eight samples, and ochratoxin A (OTA), reported in five samples. CONCLUSION: The results point to the possible contamination of milk by several mycotoxins and raise the possibility of occupational exposure to mycotoxins due to feed contamination. An adequate One Health approach for dairy production should address these issues through effective preventive actions such as avoiding the use of feed contaminated with mycotoxins. This represents an important challenge due to climate change. It requires proper attention and accurate management measures.
BACKGROUND: Dairy farming feed can be contaminated with mycotoxins, affecting animals' health and milk quality. Dairy farming is also prone to occupational exposure to mycotoxins, and feed is recognized as a source of contamination in the workplace. An exploratory study was developed in a dairy farm located in Portugal intending to assess the mycotoxins present in the feed. RESULTS: All the samples analyzed presented contamination by at least two mycotoxins and up to a maximum of 13 mycotoxins in the same sample. Zearalenone (ZEA) was detected in all the samples (n = 10) followed by deoxynivalenol (DON), which was reported in eight samples, and ochratoxin A (OTA), reported in five samples. CONCLUSION: The results point to the possible contamination of milk by several mycotoxins and raise the possibility of occupational exposure to mycotoxins due to feed contamination. An adequate One Health approach for dairy production should address these issues through effective preventive actions such as avoiding the use of feed contaminated with mycotoxins. This represents an important challenge due to climate change. It requires proper attention and accurate management measures.