Occurrence of pre- and postharvest multi-mycotoxins in durum wheat grains collected in 2020 and 2021 in two climatic regions of Tunisia

Twenty two mycotoxins in 136 durum wheat collected from Tunisia in 2020 and 2021 were investigated. Mycotoxins were analyzed by UHPLCMS/MS. In 2020, 60.9% of the samples were contaminated with Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and/or enniatin. Whereas, in 2021, 34.4% were contaminated by enniatins. AFB1 was detected only in 2020, in the continental region (6/46) and all samples exceeded limits. AFB1 was detected in stored wheat (24-37.8 & mu;g/kg) but also in pre-stored wheat (17-28.4 & mu;g/kg) and in one sample collected in the field (21 & mu;g/kg). Enniatin A1, enniatin B and enniatin B1 were detected in wheat collected in the field (30-7684 & mu;g/kg), pre-storage (42-1266 & mu;g/kg) and storage (65.8-498.2 & mu;g/kg) from the continental region also, in sample collected in pre-storage (31.3-1410 & mu;g/kg) and at harvest (48- 1060 & mu;g/kg). Samples had a water activity less than 0.7 and moisture content ranged between 09-14%. AFB1 level represent a health risk to the Tunisian consumers.

Automated summary

Twenty two mycotoxins in 136 durum wheat samples collected from Tunisia in 2020 and 2021 were analyzed using UHPLCMS/MS. In 2020, 60.9% of the samples were contaminated with Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and/or enniatin, compared to 34.4% in 2021. AFB1 was only detected in 2020 in the continental region, with all samples exceeding limits. Enniatins were detected in both pre-storage and stored wheat samples, as well as samples collected from the field.