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In recent years, the less-studied Alternaria mycotoxins have attracted increasing interest due to the lack of survey data and their ability to cause toxic effects in animals and humans. To fill the gap, the aim of this three-year survey was to investigate the presence and co-occurrence of Alternaria and other mycotoxins in a total of 433 cereal grain samples from Slovenian farms and agricultural cooperatives from 2014 to 2016. Using the multi-mycotoxin method, 14 mycotoxins were determined. In 53% of 433 analysed samples, contamination with at least one mycotoxin was found. Deoxynivalenol (DON) and tenuazonic acid (TeA) were present in 32% and 26% of cereal grain samples, respectively, whereas alternariol (AOH), tentoxin (TEN), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), 3- and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3- and 15-AcDON), and zearalenone (ZEN) were present in fewer than 15% of the samples. Ochratoxin A (OTA) was found in one rye sample, while diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), HT-2 and T-2 toxin, and fumonisins B1 and B2 (FB1 and FB2) were not detected. The highest maximum and median concentrations of Alternaria toxins were determined in spelt in 2016 (TeA, 2277 µg/kg and 203 µg/kg, respectively), and those of Fusarium toxins in wheat in 2015 (DON, 4082 µg/kg and 387 µg/kg, respectively). The co-occurrence of two or more mycotoxins was found in 43% of the positive samples. The correlations between Alternaria toxins were very weak but statistically significant (r: 0.15–0.17, p: 0.0042–0.0165). A well-known correlation between Fusarium toxins DON and ZEN was weak and highly significant (r = 0.28, p < 0.0001).
Janja Babič; Gabrijela Tavčar-Kalcher; Franci Celar; Katarina Kos; Tanja Knific; Breda Jakovac-Strajn. Occurrence of Alternaria and Other Toxins in Cereal Grains Intended for Animal Feeding Collected in Slovenia: A Three-Year Study. Toxins 2021, 13, 304 .
AMA StyleJanja Babič, Gabrijela Tavčar-Kalcher, Franci Celar, Katarina Kos, Tanja Knific, Breda Jakovac-Strajn. Occurrence of Alternaria and Other Toxins in Cereal Grains Intended for Animal Feeding Collected in Slovenia: A Three-Year Study. Toxins. 2021; 13 (5):304.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJanja Babič; Gabrijela Tavčar-Kalcher; Franci Celar; Katarina Kos; Tanja Knific; Breda Jakovac-Strajn. 2021. "Occurrence of Alternaria and Other Toxins in Cereal Grains Intended for Animal Feeding Collected in Slovenia: A Three-Year Study." Toxins 13, no. 5: 304.
True blister beetles (genus Epicauta, family Meloidae) produce cantharidin, which can cause toxicosis in humans and animals. Some recent reports suggest that poisoning by the blister beetle has occurred in the Mediterranean part of Slovenia, which has never been reported before. Drought and modern harvesting techniques are thought to increase the likelihood of blister beetle forage contamination and cantharidin intoxication in animals. A survey of fields associated with blister beetle contamination was conducted and the Meloid species present were identified. Entomological surveillance was conducted for Mylabris variabilis and Epicauta rufidorsum. Cantharidin concentrations were also measured in both blister beetle species. Cantharidin concentration in Mylabris variabilis (n = 17) ranged from 0.038 to 0.354 µg/mg (mean 0.151 µg/mg). Cantharidin concentration in Epicauta rufidorsum (n = 36) ranged from 0.055 to 0.341 µg/mg (mean 0.142 µg/mg). Both species exhibited variable concentrations of cantharidin that could not be associated with their biology, sex, age, size, and/or reproductive status. Epicauta rufidorsum have never previously been studied as a possible source of forage contamination, nor have cantharidin concentrations been determined in this species. It is the most likely source of forage contamination due to its abundance in the investigated fields, its swarming activity, and its tendency to reside in the green parts of plants immediately after cutting. Delaying the simultaneous processing and storage of forage after cutting would reduce the likelihood of forage contamination by blister beetles, as they can then retreat to the ground or fly away.
Breda Jakovac-Strajn; Diana Brozić; Gabrijela Tavčar-Kalcher; Janja Babič; Tomi Trilar; Modest Vengust. Entomological Surveillance and Cantharidin Concentrations in Mylabris variabilis and Epicauta rufidorsum Blister Beetles in Slovenia. Animals 2021, 11, 220 .
AMA StyleBreda Jakovac-Strajn, Diana Brozić, Gabrijela Tavčar-Kalcher, Janja Babič, Tomi Trilar, Modest Vengust. Entomological Surveillance and Cantharidin Concentrations in Mylabris variabilis and Epicauta rufidorsum Blister Beetles in Slovenia. Animals. 2021; 11 (1):220.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBreda Jakovac-Strajn; Diana Brozić; Gabrijela Tavčar-Kalcher; Janja Babič; Tomi Trilar; Modest Vengust. 2021. "Entomological Surveillance and Cantharidin Concentrations in Mylabris variabilis and Epicauta rufidorsum Blister Beetles in Slovenia." Animals 11, no. 1: 220.
In this study, ten Fusarium toxins were analysed in wheat and maize commodities from Albania. In total, 71 samples of wheat and 45 samples of maize were collected from different producing regions. The analytical procedure consisted of a simple one-step sample extraction followed by the determination of toxins using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Fusarium toxins were found in 23% of the analysed wheat samples and in 78% of maize samples. In maize samples, most often fumonisins B1 (FB1) and B2 (FB2) were found. They were present in 76% of samples. They were detected in all positive samples except in one with concentrations ranging from 59.9 to 16,970 μg/kg. The sum of FB1 and FB2 exceeded the EU maximum permitted level (4000 μg/kg) in 31% of maize samples. In wheat samples, the only detected Fusarium mycotoxin was deoxynivalenol (DON), present in 23% of samples. In one sample with the concentration of 1916 μg/kg, the EU maximum permitted level (1250 μg/kg) was exceeded. This is the first report on the presence of Fusarium toxins in wheat and maize grains cultivated in Albania.
Dritan Topi; Janja Babič; Katarina Pavšič-Vrtač; Gabrijela Tavčar-Kalcher; Breda Jakovac-Strajn. Incidence of Fusarium Mycotoxins in Wheat and Maize from Albania. Molecules 2020, 26, 172 .
AMA StyleDritan Topi, Janja Babič, Katarina Pavšič-Vrtač, Gabrijela Tavčar-Kalcher, Breda Jakovac-Strajn. Incidence of Fusarium Mycotoxins in Wheat and Maize from Albania. Molecules. 2020; 26 (1):172.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDritan Topi; Janja Babič; Katarina Pavšič-Vrtač; Gabrijela Tavčar-Kalcher; Breda Jakovac-Strajn. 2020. "Incidence of Fusarium Mycotoxins in Wheat and Maize from Albania." Molecules 26, no. 1: 172.
This four-year study reports the occurrence of ergot alkaloids (EAs) in cereals intended for animal feeding collected in Slovenia. A total of 517 samples of cereals were analysed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the presence of EAs. The sample set included wheat, rye, triticale, oat, spelt and barley. The study revealed that 17% of the analysed cereal samples were contaminated with at least one ergot alkaloid. EAs have two epimeric forms: -ine and -inine. The incidence rates of the -ine and -inine forms in the analysed samples were 16% and 15%, respectively. The highest contamination rates were observed in rye (54%), oat (50%) and spelt (30%), where the highest mean concentrations of total EAs were also determined (502 µg/kg, 594 µg/kg and 715 µg/kg, respectively). However, the highest concentrations of total EAs were found in wheat and rye (4217 µg/kg and 4114 µg/kg, respectively). The predominant EAs were ergometrine, ergosine and ergocristinine. The occurrence of six or more ergot alkaloids was observed in 49% of the positive samples. A weak correlation (p = 0.284) in the positive samples was found between the mass of sclerotia and the total concentrations of EAs using the Spearman correlation coefficient.
Janja Babič; Gabrijela Tavčar-Kalcher; Franci Aco Celar; Katarina Kos; Matjaž Červek; Breda Jakovac-Strajn. Ergot and Ergot Alkaloids in Cereal Grains Intended for Animal Feeding Collected in Slovenia: Occurrence, Pattern and Correlations. Toxins 2020, 12, 730 .
AMA StyleJanja Babič, Gabrijela Tavčar-Kalcher, Franci Aco Celar, Katarina Kos, Matjaž Červek, Breda Jakovac-Strajn. Ergot and Ergot Alkaloids in Cereal Grains Intended for Animal Feeding Collected in Slovenia: Occurrence, Pattern and Correlations. Toxins. 2020; 12 (11):730.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJanja Babič; Gabrijela Tavčar-Kalcher; Franci Aco Celar; Katarina Kos; Matjaž Červek; Breda Jakovac-Strajn. 2020. "Ergot and Ergot Alkaloids in Cereal Grains Intended for Animal Feeding Collected in Slovenia: Occurrence, Pattern and Correlations." Toxins 12, no. 11: 730.
Mycotoxins, the toxic secondary metabolites of mould species, are a growing global concern, rendering almost 25% of all food produced unfit for human or animal consumption, thus placing immense pressure on the food supply chain. Cold Atmospheric pressure Plasma (CAP) represents a promising, low-cost, and environmentally friendly means to degrade mycotoxins with negligible effect on the quality of food products. Despite this promise, the study of CAP-mediated mycotoxin degradation has been limited to a small subset of the vast number of mycotoxins that plague the food supply chain. This study explores the degradation of aflatoxins, trichothecenes, fumonisins, and zearalenone using CAP generated in ambient air. CAP treatment was found to reduce aflatoxins by 93%, trichothecenes by 90%, fumonisins by 93%, and zearalenone by 100% after 8 minutes exposure. To demonstrate the potential of CAP-mediated mycotoxin degradation against more conventional methods, its efficiency was compared against ultraviolet C (UVC) light irradiation. In all cases, CAP was found to be considerably more efficient than UVC, with aflatoxin G1 and zearalenone being completely degraded, levels that could not be achieved using UVC irradiation.
Nataša Hojnik; Martina Modic; Gabrijela Tavčar-Kalcher; Janja Babič; James L. Walsh; Uroš Cvelbar. Mycotoxin Decontamination Efficacy of Atmospheric Pressure Air Plasma. Toxins 2019, 11, 219 .
AMA StyleNataša Hojnik, Martina Modic, Gabrijela Tavčar-Kalcher, Janja Babič, James L. Walsh, Uroš Cvelbar. Mycotoxin Decontamination Efficacy of Atmospheric Pressure Air Plasma. Toxins. 2019; 11 (4):219.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNataša Hojnik; Martina Modic; Gabrijela Tavčar-Kalcher; Janja Babič; James L. Walsh; Uroš Cvelbar. 2019. "Mycotoxin Decontamination Efficacy of Atmospheric Pressure Air Plasma." Toxins 11, no. 4: 219.