The main objective of this study was to apply a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method to investigate the presence of 20 mycotoxins in 204 maize samples harvested in Northern Serbia in the period 2012-2015, including seasons with extreme drought (2012), hot and dry conditions (2013 and 2015) and extreme precipitation (2014). Between 2 and 20 mycotoxins contaminated examined samples. In samples collected from each year, all of six examined fumonisins were detected with very high prevalence (from 76% to 100%). Aflatoxin B1 was detected in 94% and 90% maize samples from 2012 and 2015, respectively. In samples from year 2014, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone and its derivatives were detected in 100% of samples. Furthermore, ochratoxin A (25%) was the most predominant in samples from 2012. The obtained results indicate that changes in weather conditions, recorded in the period of four years, had significant influence on the occurrence of examined mycotoxins in maize.

Department IFA Tulln University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Konrad Lorenzstr 20 3430 Tulln Austria

Department IFA Tulln University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Konrad Lorenzstr 20 3430 Tulln Austria; Institute for Global Food Security School of Biological Sciences Queens University Belfast University Road Belfast BT7 1NN Northern Ireland United Kingdom

Institute of Food Technology University of Novi Sad Bulevar cara Lazara 1 21000 Novi Sad Serbia

University of Chemistry and Technology Prague Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition Technicka 3 Prague 166 28 Czech Republic

Food Chem. 2021 Sep 1;355:129615. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129615. PubMed

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