Survey of T-2/HT-2 toxins in unprocessed cereals, food and feed coming from Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina

•Sum of T-2/HT-2 in unprocessed cereals, food and feed was investigated.•ELISA method was implemented.•Among cereals maximal observed T-2/HT-2 level was determined in oat.•The highest level in products was determined in oat flakes and calf feed.•The obtained levels were lower than the indicative levels given in recommendations.

The aim of this study was to investigate into the level of T-2/HT-2 toxins in different unprocessed cereals (n = 201), as well as in marketed cereal-based products (n = 58), feed components (n = 191) and feedstuffs (n = 91) coming from Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. The number of positive samples of unprocessed cereals for food production (>LOD) ranged from 30.4% in barley to 68.8% in oat whereas for feed components ranged from 26.9% in wheat to 86.1% in oat. The maximal values found in unprocessed oat and oat-based feed components were 304.2 μg/kg and 521.0 μg/kg, respectively. As for final products, the highest T-2/HT-2 concentrations were determined in oat flakes (89.4 μg/kg) and calf feed (129.3 μg/kg). Despite of the increased T-2/HT-2 concentrations found in some of the samples, the obtained values were unanimously lower than the indicative levels given as recommendations above which further investigations should be necessary performed.