The Occurrence and Co-Occurrence of Regulated, Emerging, and Masked Mycotoxins in Rice Bran and Maize from Southeast Asia

Toxins (Basel). 2022 Aug 19;14(8):567. doi: 10.3390/toxins14080567.

Abstract

Raw feed materials are often contaminated with mycotoxins, and co-occurrence of mycotoxins occurs frequently. A total of 250 samples i.e., rice bran and maize from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand were analysed using state-of-the-art liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for monitoring the occurrence of regulated, emerging, and masked mycotoxins. Seven regulated mycotoxins - aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, fumonisin B1, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, HT-2, and T-2 toxin were detected as well as some emerging mycotoxins, such as beauvericin, enniatin type B, stachybotrylactam, sterigmatocystin, and masked mycotoxins, specifically zearalenone-14-glucoside, and zearalenone-16-glucoside. Aspergillus and Fusarium mycotoxins were the most prevalent compounds identified, especially aflatoxins and fumonisin B1 in 100% and 95% of samples, respectively. Of the emerging toxins, beauvericin and enniatin type B showed high occurrences, with more than 90% of rice bran and maize contaminated, whereas zearalenone-14-glucoside and zearalenone-16-glucoside were found in rice bran in the range of 56-60%. Regulated mycotoxins (DON and ZEN) were the most frequent mycotoxin combination with emerging mycotoxins (BEA and ENN type B) in rice bran and maize. This study indicates that mycotoxin occurrence and co-occurrence are common in raw feed materials, and it is critical to monitor mycotoxin levels in ASEAN's feedstuffs so that mitigation strategies can be developed and implemented.

Keywords: LC-MS/MS; Southeast Asia; contamination; feed; multi-mycotoxin; survey.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aflatoxins* / analysis
  • Asia, Southeastern
  • Chromatography, Liquid / methods
  • Food Contamination / analysis
  • Glucosides
  • Masked Mycotoxins
  • Mycotoxins* / analysis
  • Oryza*
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry / methods
  • Zea mays
  • Zearalenone* / analysis

Substances

  • Aflatoxins
  • Glucosides
  • Masked Mycotoxins
  • Mycotoxins
  • Zearalenone

Grants and funding

Office of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation; and the Thailand Science Research and Innovation through the Kasetsart University Reinventing University Program 2021 with contract no. RUP1/Con(1.3)-CASAF 19; The Graduate Program Scholarship from The Graduate School, Kasetsart University; Thailand Science Research and Innovation Fundamental Fund (Project no. 2461863); Agritox, a project funded by the Interreg Atlantic Area Programme through the European Regional Development Fund [EAPA 998/2018].