Mycotoxins in maize: Annual variations and the impact of climate change

Abstract

The presence of aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA), deoxynivalenol (DON), and fumonisins (FUMs) was examined in maize samples from the Republic of Serbia. The maize samples were collected during the period 2012-2016, and analyzed every year after harvest using validated Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method. The obtained results were considered regarding the weather conditions parameters recorded during the investigated maize growing seasons. Significant differences in weather-related parameters recorded in the five-year period resulted in different mycotoxin profiles between the investigated years. Obtained results indicate that the presence of ZEA and DON in maize is characteristic of years with abundant precipitation, while AFs and OTA mainly occur in maize during hot and dry years. Furthermore, FUMs were detected with different contamination frequency in maize samples from every year. Based on the findings obtained in this study, as well as on noted changes in weather conditions in the recent years it could be assumed that maize from Serbia may become susceptible to problems concerning mycotoxins. Therefore, there is a necessity for monitoring and research related to the mycotoxins occurrence in maize from Serbia.

Climate Change: Impact on Mycotoxins Incidence and Food Safety

“…Incidence and distribution of FUMs concentration in examined samples during period of investigation are presented in Table 2. The overall prevalence of FUMs in Serbia, for the investigated period, was slightly higher compared to the prevalence of FUMs in samples collected between 2000 and 2010 [35].…”

“…It is also the most prevalent of the mycotoxicoses in domestic animals. These results can be explained by the heavy total rainfall during the maize harvest in 2014 and 2016, mild winter during 2015 as well as uncontrolled conditions of temperature and relative humidity during the storage, which caused the intensive development of mold and increased the content, particularly of Fusarium mycotoxins in stored maize [35]. ZEA and its major alcohol metabolites α-zearalenol and β-zearalenol share structural similarity with the human sex hormone 17b-estradiol.…”

Impact of climate change on aflatoxin M1 contamination of raw milk with special focus on climate conditions in Serbia

“…A number of studies produced by Serbian government authorities indicate that the frequency of both droughts and extreme rainfall events has increased significantly in the region over the past decade . Therefore possible impacts of climate change on mycotoxin occurrence have been discussed in a number of publications in recent years . The authors unanimously conclude that a shift from ‘traditional’ occurrence areas to regions where mycotoxin occurrence was previously uncommon is to be expected due to climate change.…”

“…A number of studies produced by Serbian government authorities indicate that the frequency of both droughts and extreme rainfall events has increased significantly in the region over the 13 Therefore possible impacts of climate change on mycotoxin occurrence have been discussed in a number of publications in recent years. 3,16,[20][21][22][23][24] The authors unanimously conclude that a shift from 'traditional' occurrence areas to regions where mycotoxin occurrence was previously uncommon is to be expected due to climate change. Drought is known to be a stressful agro-meteorological condition over the period from flowering to waxy maturity of maize (July-August), at the same time that is the critical period for infestation of toxigenic fungi and production of mycotoxins.…”

Aflatoxins in feed

“…The highest frequency of AFB 1 contamination was recorded during 2012, when 72% of corn contained AFB 1. Lower frequencies (25%, 25%, 10%) were detected in 2013, 2015 and 2016, respectively (Kos et al, 2017). The authors emphasized weather conditions (dry and warm weather) as the main reason for these results (Kos et al, 2017).…”