A total of 404 samples of commercial swine feed from Portugal feed mills were analysed by HPLC methods for the presence of mycotoxins: 277 samples of feed for fattening pigs were analysed for ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA), and deoxynivalenol (DON), and 127 samples of feed for sows were analysed for ZEA and fumonisins (FB1 + FB2). Concerning feed for fattening pigs, 21 (7.6%) samples were positive for OTA, (2-6.8 μg/kg), 69 (24.9%) were positive for ZEA (5-73 μg/kg), and 47 (16.9%) were positive for DON (100-864 μg/kg). In feed for sows, the results showed 29.9% of positive samples for ZEA (5-57.7 μg/kg) and 8.7% positive samples for FB1 and FB2 (50-391.4 μg/kg). Co-occurrence of DON/ZEA was found most frequently, but simultaneous contamination with OTA/ZEA and OTA/DON was also found.

Results of a 2-year (2009-2010) survey on the occurrence of ochratoxin A (OTA) in swine feed and in feed for laying hens in Portugal are reported. A total of 664 samples (478 swine feed, 186 feed for laying hens) were analyzed by a HPLC method using fluorescence detection with 2 μg kg(-1) as detection limit. In swine feed, 31 samples (6.49%) were positive for OTA. In feed for laying hens, 12 samples (6.45%) were OTA-positive. The average levels of contamination were low, with median values of positive samples at 3-4 μg kg(-1) in both years and both commodities, although a few samples contained exceptionally high levels (maximum 130 μg kg(-1)). Only the maximum level sample (swine feed) contained OTA at a concentration exceeding the European Commission guidance value. The remaining OTA concentrations found in feed samples were much lower than the guidance values.

Aquaculture producers, feed manufactures, farmers and distributors and their feed quality-control are, nowadays, placed in the centre of feed safety issues due to possible repercussions of residues in food. The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate fungi contamination in 87 samples finished fish feed samples for sea bass (52 extruded feed and 35 pellet), were randomly collected from different factories in Portugal. All extruded samples revealed to be negative for fungi contamination. Concerning to 35 pelleted samples, mould counts were around 1.0 ?10 to 6.5 ?102 cfu.g-1. Six moulds genera were recovered. Aspergillus flavus had the highest incidence appearing in 35 samples (100 %), with a range of 1.0 ?10 2 - 1.5 ?103 and a mean value of 5.3 ?10 2. In the second order were the moulds from the specie Aspergillus niger in 34 samples (97 %) with a range of 1.0 ?10 - 4.5 ?10 2 and a mean value of 1.6?10 2. Aspergillus glaucus had a percentage of 74 % with a levels ranging between 1.0 ?10 to 2.5 ?102. Penicillium and Cladosporium both recovered from 25 samples (71.4 %) with a range of 1.0 ?102 - 6.5 ?102 and 1.2 ?102 - 2.0 ?103 and a mean of 1.2 ?10 2 and 9.8 ?10 1 , respectively. To the fifth order was mould from the genera Fusarium contamination from 22 samples (62.8 %) with a range of 1.0 ?10 - 1.9 ?102 and a mean of 7.1 ?101.

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