Quantification of patulin in Belgian handicraft-made apple juices

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the patulin risk stemming from the quality of apple juice produced by two small processing companies (fruit presses) located in the South of Belgium (Walloon region). A quantification method based on high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection was developed and validated in-house. This method was then used to analyse 49 apple juice samples collected from two small apple presses. Patulin was detected in 32 samples and the contamination level was above the 50 mu g/l legal limit for 18 samples. The incidence and contamination levels of patulin detected in our study were higher than in previous ones. The high patulin concentrations observed might be linked to the fact that clients of the presses were individual growers. It highlights the need for an efficient quality management system for reducing the patulin risk in the apple-processing sector. This work also points to the importance and necessity of campaigns aiming to raise public awareness of the patulin problem, among both transformers and home growers, in order to limit population exposure to patulin.