Quantitative determination by screening ELISA and HPLC-MS/MS of microcystins LR, LY, LA, YR, RR, LF, LW, and nodularin in the water of Occhito lake and crops.

The occurrence of harmful cyanobacterial blooms in surface waters is often accompanied by the production of a variety of cyanotoxins, and these toxins are designed to target in humans specific organs on which they act. When introduced into the soil ecosystem by spray irrigation of crops, they may affect the same molecular pathways in plants having identical or similar target organs, tissues, cells, or biomolecules. There are also several indications that terrestrial plants, including crops, can bioaccumulate cyanotoxins and present, therefore, potential health hazards for humans. During this project, for monitoring purposes, water samples were collected from lake Occhito, in which there was an algal bloom (Planktothrix rubescens) in 2009, and from three tanks which acted as hydraulic junctions. In addition, crop samples irrigated with water from the three tanks mentioned above were also picked. Finally, the characterization of principal cyanobacteria was performed, to determine the presence of cyanotoxins such as microcystins and validate a method of screening ELISA for the determination of microcystins in vegetable samples and a confirmatory method by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Graphical abstract Occhito lake (left), microcystin LR (center), Tomato field in Foggia (right); figures below: ELISA (left), HPLC-MS/MS (right).

Monitoring of Animal Feed Contamination by Mycotoxins: Results of Five Years of Official Control by an Accredited Italian Laboratory.

Mycotoxin contamination of animal feed is a complex issue in both animal wellness and food safety. The most diffused mycotoxins subject to the official control of animal feed are Aflatoxin B1 (AF), Zearalenone (ZEA), Deoxynivalenol (DON), Ochratoxin A (OCRA), Fumonisins (FUMO), and T-2/HT-2 toxins. This work describes the results of five years of monitoring focused on the evaluation of mycotoxin contamination of animal feed. Analytical determinations were carried out by means of accredited ELISA. The obtained results showed a non-alarming scenario, with several samples resulting as "non-compliant" according to the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) set in European Regulation No. 574/2011. Out of 722 analyzed samples coming from 2 Italian regions, Apulia and Basilicata, 14 samples were characterized by mycotoxin concentrations higher than related MRL; in particular, 5, 4, and 5 non-compliant samples for DON, AF, and ZEA, respectively. This study also evaluated the possible correlations between mycotoxin type and feed use with a special focus on animal sensitivity to mycotoxins.