Determination of aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in retail cereal products from Turkey by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

In this study, a total of 110 retail cereal products from Turkey were analysed for aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2) and ochratoxin A (OTA). The mycotoxins were determined by liquid-solid extraction, immunoaffinity column clean-up and high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FD). Recoveries (83.9-92%) and both intra-day and inter-day repeatability (RSD < 12) of the method, meet the performance criteria set by EC regulation No. 401/2006 for the determination of the levels of mycotoxins in foodstuffs. OTA was the most prevalent toxin, with an incidence of 43.6% (range = 0.066-1.125 μg kg−1), but at levels below the European legislation limit of 3 μg kg−1. Aflatoxins were found in 27 of 110 analysed samples: twenty-seven samples with AFB1, fourteen samples with AFB2, seven samples with AFG1 and two samples with AFG2. The ranges for positive samples were 0.052-0.233 μg AFB1 kg−1, 0.022-0.044 μg AFB2 kg−1, 0.053-0.149 μg AFG1 kg−1 and 0.033-0.037 μg AFG2 kg−1. The co-occurrence of AFB1 and OTA was observed in 14.6% of the samples. This is the first study concerning the simultaneous occurrence of aflatoxins and OTA in retail cereal products from Turkey.

► AFs and OTA levels in retail cereal products from Turkey were surveyed. ► Samples were analysed by IAC clean-up followed by HPLC-FD detection. ► OTA was the most frequently detected mycotoxin. ► None of the samples exceeded the maximum limits set by EU for AFs and OTA. ► The co-occurrence of AFB1 and OTA was found in 14.6% of the samples.