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
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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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