SummaryIn this study, the occurrence of Fusarium mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEA) and fumonisins (FUM) was investigated in a total of 257 samples of unprocessed cereals (maize, wheat and barley), sampled annually in Bosnia and Herzegovina throughout the 2013-2015 harvesting period. The levels of mycotoxins were determined using a validated ELISA method. The results showed maize to be the most contaminated cereal among the three, with DON detected in 85%, ZEA in 73% and FUM in 67% of samples, the mean concentrations of the toxins observed during the study period thereby being 984±957 μg/kg, 326±314 μg/kg, and 1,259±1,161 μg/kg, respectively. Twenty samples (7.8%) were proven inadmissible for consumption as foodstuffs (Commission Regulation 1881/2006), and 3 samples (1.2%) were proven inadmissible even as feedstuffs (Commission Recommendation 2006/576/EC). Significantly higher (p < 0.05) mycotoxin levels determined in samples harvested in 2014 as compared to those harvested in 2013 and 2015 could be associated with heavy rainfall periods witnessed in 2014 that could favour the formation of moulds, and consequently also the increased production of Fusarium mycotoxins.

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The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of citrinin in different cereals (n = 341) and feedstuffs (n = 67) coming from farms and feed factories established in Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. The highest mean citrinin concentration (103 ± 102 µg/kg) was observed in cereals sampled in Bosnia & Herzegovina during 2014, although significantly different levels between the two countries were not observed. Across the cereal samples, the maximal citrinin concentration was determined in wheat (429 µg/kg), while across the feedstuffs, the highest concentration was found in pig feed (63 µg/kg). Despite of the increased citrinin levels found in some samples, especially wheat, the obtained values cannot be compared against the maximum limits, since no such levels are stipulated under the applicable legislation. But, given that data on citrinin are very scarce, they can serve as an indicator of cereal and feed contamination in this part of Europe.

The aim of this study was to investigate chemical composition and mycotoxins occurrence in traditional meat products (TMP) from the households of Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the period 2015-2016, in total 55 traditional meat products were sampled, of which 25 pork sausages, 15 mixed sausages produced from pork and beef, 7 pancetta and 8 samples of prosciutto. Basic chemical and fatty acids composition was determined by use of ISO methods, whereas mycotoxins aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) levels were determined using immunoassay ELISA methods. The results showed variations in chemical parameters among the TMPs with significantly higher (p &lt; 0.05) content of stearic acid and lower content of linoleic acid in the mixed meat sausages than in TMPs produced completely of pork. OTA was determined in 7 samples of different products with maximal level of 6.20 µg/kg, whereas AFB1 was determined in only one pork sausage with concentration slightly higher than the method limit of quantification (1.91 µg/kg). Mycotoxin contamination of TMP, especially by OTA, suggesting that to avoid such contamination, meat and meat products on households should be produced and processed under standardized and well-controlled conditions.

Cilj rada bio je ispitati kemijski sastav i pojavnost mikotoksina u tradicionalnim mesnim proizvodima (TMP) podrijetlom s domaćinstava Bosne i Hercegovine. U razdoblju od 2015. do 2016., ukupno je uzorkovano 55 tradicionalnih mesnih proizvoda, od toga 25 kobasica proizvedenih od svinjskog mesa, 15 kobasica proizvedenih od mješavine svinjskog i goveđeg mesa, 7 uzoraka pancete i 8 uzoraka pršuta. Osnovni kemijski i masno-kiselinski sastav određen je primjenom ISO metoda, dok su razine aflatoksina B1 (AFB1) i okratoksina A (OTA) određene primjenom imunoenzimskih ELISA metoda. Rezultati su pokazali varijacije u vrijednostima kemijskih parametara između TMP-a, s značajno većim (p &lt; 0,05) udjelom stearinske kiseline, te manjim udjelom linolne kiseline u kobasicama proizvedenim od mješavine svinjskog i goveđeg mesa, u odnosu na TMP proizvedene u cijelosti od svinjetine. OTA je određen u 7 uzoraka različitih vrste proizvoda s najvećom koncentracijom od 6,20 µg/kg, dok je AFB1 određen samo u jednoj kobasici od svinjskog mesa s koncentracijom neznatno većom od limita kvantifikacije metode (1,91 µg/kg). Utvrđena kontaminacija TMP-a mikotoksinima, posebno sa OTA, pokazuje da bi u cilju sprječavanja kontaminacije meso i mesni proizvodi iz domaćinstava trebali biti proizvedeni pod standardiziranim i dobro kontroliranim uvjetima