During the last decade, scientists have given increasingly frequent warnings about global warming, linking it to mycotoxin-producing moulds in various geographical regions across the world. In the future, more pronounced climate change could alter host resilience and host–pathogen interaction and have a significant impact on the development of toxicogenic moulds and the production of their secondary metabolites, known as mycotoxins. The current climate attracts attention and calls for novel diagnostic tools and notions about the biological features of agricultural cultivars and toxicogenic moulds. Since European climate environments offer steadily rising opportunities for Aspergillus flavus growth, an increased risk of cereal contamination with highly toxic aflatoxins shall be witnessed in the future. On top of that, the profile (representation) of certain mycotoxigenic Fusarium species is changing ever more substantially, while the rise in frequency of Fusarium graminearum contamination, as a species which is able to produce several toxic mycotoxins, seen in northern and central Europe, is becoming a major concern. In the following paper, a high-quality approach to a preventative strategy is tailored to put a stop to the toxicogenic mould- and mycotoxin-induced contamination of foods and feeds in the foreseeable future.

Ongoing climate change may affect the susceptibility of plants to attacks by pathogenic, mostly mycotoxigenic fungi with a consequent increase in the presence of mycotoxins. Fusarium fungi represent one of the most important producers of mycotoxins, and are also important pathogens of agricultural crops. Therefore, the main aim of the study was to estimate the impact of weather parameters on the natural occurrence of Fusarium mycotoxins, such as deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisins B₁ and B₂ (FUMs), zearalenone (ZEN), T-2, and HT-2 toxins (T-2/HT-2) in maize samples harvested from two neighboring countries, Serbia and Croatia, during a four-year production period (2018–2021). The frequency and contamination level of examined Fusarium mycotoxins varied by maize year of production and could be linked to weather conditions per investigated country. Among them, FUMs were found to be the most common contaminants (84–100%) of maize in both Serbia and Croatia. Additionally, a critical assessment of Fusarium mycotoxins occurrence in the last 10 years (2012–2021), for both Serbia and Croatia, was done. Results pointed out the highest contamination of maize from 2014, especially with DON and ZEN, in connection to extreme levels of precipitation observed in both Serbia and Croatia, whereas FUMs occurred with high prevalence from each of the ten investigated years.

Aflatoxins (AFs) represent the most important mycotoxin group, whose presence in food and feed poses significant global health and economic issues. The occurrence of AFs in maize is a burning problem worldwide, mainly attributed to droughts. In recent years, Serbia and Croatia faced climate changes followed by a warming trend. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to estimate the influence of weather on AFs occurrence in maize from Serbia and Croatia in the 2018–2021 period. The results indicate that hot and dry weather witnessed in the year 2021 resulted in the highest prevalence of AFs in maize samples in both Serbia (84%) and Croatia (40%). In maize harvested in 2018–2020, AFs occurred in less than, or around, 10% of Serbian and 20% of Croatian samples. In order to conduct a comprehensive study on the implications of climate change for the occurrence of AFs in maize grown in these two countries, the results of available studies performed in the last thirteen years were searched for and discussed.

This review examines the 15-year presence of mycotoxins in food from Serbia and Croatia to provide a comprehensive overview of trends. Encompassing the timeframe from 2009 to 2023, this study integrates data from both countries and investigates climate change patterns. The results from Serbia focus primarily on maize and milk and show a strong dependence of contamination on weather conditions. However, there is limited data on mycotoxins in cereals other than maize, as well as in other food categories. Conversely, Croatia has a broader spectrum of studies, with significant attention given to milk and maize, along with more research on other cereals, meat, and meat products compared to Serbia. Over the investigated 15-year period, both Serbia and Croatia have experienced notable shifts in climate, including fluctuations in temperature, precipitation, and humidity levels. These changes have significantly influenced agriculture, consequently affecting the occurrence of mycotoxins in various food products. The results summarized in this 15-year review indicate the urgent need for further research and action to address mycotoxins contamination in Serbian and Croatian food supply chains. This urgency is further emphasized by the changing climatic conditions and their potential to exacerbate public health and food safety risks associated with mycotoxins.

Wildfires can inflict serious damage to forest ecosystems, agricultural areas and often endanger human settlements and lives. Rising global temperatures and changes in precipitation pattern increase the risk of severe fires. In Croatia, the areas currently most affected with high risk of forest fires are located in the Mediterranean region. Due to climate change the risk will likely increase and further strain the available fire-fighting resources. The situation could be even more alarming in Continental parts of the country where forest fires were not common in the past, but may become increasingly likely in the near future. Therefore, accurately assessing the wildfire risk is increasingly important in implementing fire-avoidance activities and optimizing the management of country’s fire-fighting resources.The aim of our study is to assess the change in the spatio-temporal distribution of the fire Daily Severity Rating (DSR) and the Seasonal Severity Rating (SSR) in the last two decades, with respect to the reference period 1961–1990. We present a spatial analysis of SSR for the period 1989–2018 in Croatia based on the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service (DHMZ) data and compare it with the one of European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). The relation between the SSR and the burned area, estimated from MODIS MCD64A1 Version 6 Burned Area data product, during 2001–2018 is investigated with the aim to facilitate locally optimized model for the assessment of the expected burned area associated with a given SSR. The results should contribute to improved understanding of the near-future risk of severe fires in Croatia related to possible future climate scenarios.

Fire represents one of the major disturbances in natural ecosystems around the planet. By burning ecosystems, fire has a significant role in shaping global biome distribution and influences biogeochemical cycles such as the carbon cycle. Particularly in the coastal part of Croatia during the summer months, wildfires often escalate to catastrophic levels, posing serious threats to human lives, infrastructure, and the natural environment.Our study aims to estimate the changes in forest fire danger in Croatia between 1981 and 2020 based on the Fire Weather Index (FWI) and seasonal severity rating (SSR) calculated using data from the National Meteorological Observation Network. To estimate the risk of forest fires in this region, the study utilizes the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System. The original system consists of six components that solely depend on meteorological conditions. The calculated FWI represents the potential fire intensity and is a very good indicator of fire danger. The initial equations are calibrated for Canadian boreal forests, characterized by distinct differences in vegetation and climate features when compared to forests of the Mediterranean regions. Despite these differences, researches have revealed a noteworthy correlation between the components of the FWI system and fire activity in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, and Greece.Measurements of air temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity taken at 14h, along with daily precipitation records from 83 meteorological and 119 rain gauge stations were used in the analysis. Daily severity ratings were calculated from FWI values and averaged over the fire season, spanning from June to September, to obtain SSR. The station-based SSR were spatially interpolated using regression kriging and a 1 x 1 km horizontal grid, resulting in 40 raster maps (one for each year). Results from a trend analysis, aimed at identifying areas with the highest increase in fire risk during the period 1981-2020, indicate an overall increase in SSR across a significant portion of the country. The observed trends align well with the positive trends identified in maximum air temperature and the lengthening of dry periods.Additionally, to evaluate changes in fire weather extremes in Croatia the seasonal count of days with FWI > 30 (FWI30) and the seasonal 90th percentile of FWI (FWIp90) indices were calculated. A comparison of these indices between the periods 1981-2000 and 2001-2020 revealed an increase both in FWI30 and FWIp90 across a substantial portion of the country. These trends highlight a concerning escalation in fire risk for Croatia.Keywords: forest fire risk, fire weather index, extreme fire weather, climate change, trends