article · Food Additives and Contaminants Part B
An analysis of 136 durum wheat grain samples gathered across two climatic regions in Tunisia during 2020 and 2021 evaluated the presence of twenty-two mycotoxins using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Contamination varied considerably between the two years. In 2020, over sixty percent of samples contained aflatoxin B1, enniatins, or both, whilst approximately thirty-four percent showed enniatin contamination in 2021. Aflatoxin B1 appeared exclusively in the continental region during 2020 across stored wheat, pre-storage grain, and a field-collected sample, with every positive case exceeding regulatory limits. Various enniatins were found across field, pre-storage, and storage stages across regions. All tested wheat exhibited a water activity below 0.7 and moisture levels between nine and fourteen percent, with the recorded aflatoxin concentrations posing a health hazard to local consumers.
Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by fungi that threaten public health when present in staple foods. Because durum wheat is heavily consumed, discovering that aflatoxin B1 exceeded safety standards in pre-storage and stored grain highlights a direct consumer health risk and underscores the necessity of continuous agricultural and storage monitoring.
The findings inform grain storage managers, millers, and food safety regulators monitoring grain quality and safety thresholds. By mapping pre- and postharvest contamination, the study aids surveillance programmes and intervention strategies. However, the abstract does not describe any specific technology, tool, or commercial pathway, presenting observational surveillance data rather than an applied commercial product.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Twenty two mycotoxins in 136 durum wheat collected from Tunisia in 2020 and 2021 were investigated. Mycotoxins were analyzed by UHPLCMS/MS. In 2020, 60.9% of the samples were contaminated with Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and/or enniatin. Whereas, in 2021, 34.4% were contaminated by enniatins. AFB1 was detected only in 2020, in the continental region (6/46) and all samples exceeded limits. AFB1 was detected in stored wheat (24-37.8 µg/kg) but also in pre-stored wheat (17-28.4 µg/kg) and in one sample collected in the field (21 µg/kg). Enniatin A1, enniatin B and enniatin B1 were detected in wheat collected in the field (30-7684 µg/kg), pre-storage (42-1266 µg/kg) and storage (65.8-498.2 µg/kg) from the continental region also, in sample collected in pre-storage (31.3-1410 µg/kg) and at harvest (48- 1060 µg/kg). Samples had a water activity less than 0.7 and moisture content ranged between 09-14%. AFB1 level represent a health risk to the Tunisian consumers.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.1080/19393210.2023.2219996
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
