A study of surface moulds and mycotoxins in Croatian traditional dry-cured meat products

Xerophilic species of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Eurotium genera from surfaces of dry-cured traditional meat products (TMPs) can cause mycotoxin contamination during uncontrolled household processing. The aim of this study was to investigate into surface moulds growing on Croatian prosciuttos and fermented sausages produced in different climate regions using different technologies (n = 160), and to relate the occurrence of aflatoxin B-1 (AFB(1)) and ochratoxin A (OTA) to their presence. The results revealed the Penicillium (79%) to be the dominating contaminating mould, while Aspergillus (11%), Eurotium (7%) and Mucor (4%) species were present in a significantly lower number of isolates, with higher prevalence and greater diversity in prosciuttos than in sausages, relative of the production technology and regional climate. OTA contamination (14% of samples) was significantly more frequent than that with AFB(1) (8% of samples), with OTA concentration rising to the maximal 6.86 mu g/kg, whereas AFB(1) concentrations were slightly higher than, or around, the limit of quantification of the method in use, with the maximal value of 1.92 mu g/kg. The presence of AFB(1) in absence of toxicogenic moulds, observed in some samples, can be attributed to contaminated spices used in TMP production or an indirect contamination via a carry-over effect.