Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A are regulated in Europe for some spices (Capsicum spp., Piper spp., Myristica fragrans,Zingiber officinale, Curcuma longa) and mixtures of spices containing one or more of these spices. No mycotoxinlimits are in force for herbs. A total of 132 samples of spices (94) and herbs (38) purchased from Beirut inLebanon were analysed for 12 mycotoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, OTA, FB1,FB2, HT-2, T-2, ZEA, DON, NIV)by using a UPLC-MS/MS method based on 'dilute and shoot' approach. The limits of detection (LOD) rangedfrom 0.1 ?g/kg (ZEA) to 20.5 ?g/kg (DON) and limits of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.3 ?g/kg (ZEA) to68.2 ?g/kg (DON). 80% of analysed samples were contaminated by 1-11 mycotoxins. Total aflatoxins andochratoxin A were detected in 19 and 30% of spices, 8 and 11% of herbs, respectively. Mean levels of totalaflatoxins and ochratoxin A were 168.1 and 7.1 ?g/kg in positive spices, 36.1 and 7.0 ?g/kg in positive herbs,respectively. 78 and 10% of positive spice samples contained aflatoxin and ochratoxin A at levels higher than thelimits, respectively. Total aflatoxin levels higher than the European limits were also measured in some non-regulated spices (allspice, cloves, coriander, fenugreek) and some herbs (rosemary, sage and oregano). Withinthe non-regulated mycotoxins FB1was the most occurring (60% in spices, 55% in herbs) followed by FB2(35% inspices, 18% in herbs), ZEA (30% in spices, 3% in herbs), DON (12% in spices, 3% in herbs), T-2 and HT-2 toxins(3-5%), whereas NIV and AFG2were never detected. Mean levels of FB1,FB2, ZEA and DON in positive samplesof spices were 6432.3, 203.2, 30.6, 1751.4 ?g/kg, respectively; in positive samples of herbs they were 2826.3,214.9, 2.8, 589.7 ?g/kg, respectively. The whole results demonstrate the higher susceptibility of spices to my-cotoxin contamination with respect to herbs. Comparison of results obtained for samples produced with (81) andwithout (51) HACCP and GMP showed that the implementation of HACCP and GMP practices seems to beeffective in reducing the occurrence of regulated mycotoxins but was ineffective for the non-regulated ones. Thesamples analysed in this study originated from at least 15 Countries and the results obtained gives indicationsabout the occurrence of mycotoxins in relation to the Country of origin of the samples.The high percentages of positive samples and the high levels of some mycotoxins observed in this studyhighlight the problem of mycotoxin contamination in spices and herbs consumed in Lebanon. The occurrence ofhigh levels of aflatoxins and OTA in some non-regulated spices and herbs suggests the addition of these matricesin the list of regulated ones. The high number of positive samples and the high levels of fumonisins observed inthis study suggest the inclusions of these mycotoxins in the list of regulated mycotoxins for these matrices.
Multimycotoxins occurrence in spices and herbs commercialized in Lebanon
Lucia Gambacorta;Michele Solfrizzo
2018
Abstract
Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A are regulated in Europe for some spices (Capsicum spp., Piper spp., Myristica fragrans,Zingiber officinale, Curcuma longa) and mixtures of spices containing one or more of these spices. No mycotoxinlimits are in force for herbs. A total of 132 samples of spices (94) and herbs (38) purchased from Beirut inLebanon were analysed for 12 mycotoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, OTA, FB1,FB2, HT-2, T-2, ZEA, DON, NIV)by using a UPLC-MS/MS method based on 'dilute and shoot' approach. The limits of detection (LOD) rangedfrom 0.1 ?g/kg (ZEA) to 20.5 ?g/kg (DON) and limits of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.3 ?g/kg (ZEA) to68.2 ?g/kg (DON). 80% of analysed samples were contaminated by 1-11 mycotoxins. Total aflatoxins andochratoxin A were detected in 19 and 30% of spices, 8 and 11% of herbs, respectively. Mean levels of totalaflatoxins and ochratoxin A were 168.1 and 7.1 ?g/kg in positive spices, 36.1 and 7.0 ?g/kg in positive herbs,respectively. 78 and 10% of positive spice samples contained aflatoxin and ochratoxin A at levels higher than thelimits, respectively. Total aflatoxin levels higher than the European limits were also measured in some non-regulated spices (allspice, cloves, coriander, fenugreek) and some herbs (rosemary, sage and oregano). Withinthe non-regulated mycotoxins FB1was the most occurring (60% in spices, 55% in herbs) followed by FB2(35% inspices, 18% in herbs), ZEA (30% in spices, 3% in herbs), DON (12% in spices, 3% in herbs), T-2 and HT-2 toxins(3-5%), whereas NIV and AFG2were never detected. Mean levels of FB1,FB2, ZEA and DON in positive samplesof spices were 6432.3, 203.2, 30.6, 1751.4 ?g/kg, respectively; in positive samples of herbs they were 2826.3,214.9, 2.8, 589.7 ?g/kg, respectively. The whole results demonstrate the higher susceptibility of spices to my-cotoxin contamination with respect to herbs. Comparison of results obtained for samples produced with (81) andwithout (51) HACCP and GMP showed that the implementation of HACCP and GMP practices seems to beeffective in reducing the occurrence of regulated mycotoxins but was ineffective for the non-regulated ones. Thesamples analysed in this study originated from at least 15 Countries and the results obtained gives indicationsabout the occurrence of mycotoxins in relation to the Country of origin of the samples.The high percentages of positive samples and the high levels of some mycotoxins observed in this studyhighlight the problem of mycotoxin contamination in spices and herbs consumed in Lebanon. The occurrence ofhigh levels of aflatoxins and OTA in some non-regulated spices and herbs suggests the addition of these matricesin the list of regulated ones. The high number of positive samples and the high levels of fumonisins observed inthis study suggest the inclusions of these mycotoxins in the list of regulated mycotoxins for these matrices.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
