The European Commissions’ Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) has reported ten notifications of aflatoxin B1 found in maize of European origin since the last maize harvest in autumn 2012. That is more than in the prior harvest seasons between 2001 and 2011, where a total of nine cases of aflatoxins were reported in maize.

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Aflatoxins in Europe: a new risk in maize
production?
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3. T
he European Commissions’
Rapid Alert System for Food
and Feed (RASFF) has reported
ten notifications of aflatoxin B1 found
in maize of European origin since the
last maize harvest in autumn 2012.
That is more than in the prior harvest
seasons between 2001 and 2011,
where a total of nine cases of aflatox-
ins were reported in maize.
Optimum growth conditions for
Aspergillus, which produces aflatox-
ins, are tropical to subtropical climate
and humid storage conditions. This
has meant that aflatoxins have been
mainly an ‘import problem’ up to now.
However, global warming is increas-
ingly affecting the mycotoxin map in
Europe, producing ‘tropical toxins’ with-
in Europe’s borders.
Structure and occurrence
Aflatoxins are a group of mycotoxins
produced by some Aspergillus species such
as A. flavus or A. parasiticus. Aflatoxin B1, B2,
G1 and G2 and the hydroxylated metabolite
M1 are of primary interest, with aflatoxin B1
the most frequently occurring of these.
Aflatoxins can be found on a wide
range of commodities including cereals, nuts,
spices, figs and dried fruit. Aflatoxin M1, the
Aflatoxins in Europe:
a new risk in maize production?
by Vera Traar, product manager mycotoxins, Romer Labs, Austria
Table 1: Aflatoxins in Food (EC regulation 1881/2006 and amending EC regulation EC 165/2010)
Commodity
Maximum Level
B1 Total M1
Groundnuts to be subjected to sorting or other physical treatment, before human consumption or use as an
ingredient in foodstuffs.
8 ppb 15 ppb -
Nuts and dried fruit to be subjected to sorting or other physical treatment, before human consumption or as
an ingredient in foodstuffs.
5 ppb 10 ppb -
Groundnuts, nuts, dried fruit and processed products thereof, intended for direct human consumption or use
as an ingredient in foodstuffs.
2 ppb 4 ppb -
Oilseed intended for direct human consumption. 2 ppb 4 ppb -
Oilseed for processing. 8 ppb 15 ppb -
Maize to be subjected to sorting or other physical treatment, before human consumption or use as an
ingredient in foodstuffs.
5 ppb 10 ppb -
Cereals (including buckwheat, Fagopyrim spp.) and processed products there of intended for direct human
consumption or as an ingredient in foodstuffs
2 pbb 4 ppb -
Cereals (including buckwheat, Fagopyrim spp.), with the exception of maize, to be subjected to sorting, or
other physical treatment, before human consumption
2 ppb 4 ppb -
Rice, including brown rice (intended for milling) 5 pbb 10 ppb -
Rice, including brown rice (intended for direct human consumption) 2 ppb 4 ppb -
Following species of spices:
5 ppb 10 ppb
-
Capsicum spp. (dried fruits thereof, whole or ground, including chilies, chili powder, cayenne and paprika) -
Piper spp. (fruits thereof, including white and black pepper) -
Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) -
Zingiber officinale (ginger) -
Curcuma longa (turmeric) -
Milk (raw milk, milk for the manufacturer of milk-based products and heat-treated milk) - - 0.05 ppb
Baby foods and processed cereal, cereal-based foods for infants and young children 0.1 ppb - -
Infant formulae and follow-on formulae, including infant milk and follow-on milk - - 0.025 ppb
Dietary foods for special medical purposes intended specifically for infants 0.1 ppb - 0.025 ppb
Grain&feed millinG technoloGy12 | July - august 2013
FEATURE

4. metabolite of aflatoxin B1, is found in milk
and dairy products.
A high incidence of aflatoxins can be
found in following regions:
• Southern United States (U.S. Corn Belt)
• Southern China
• Southeast Asia
• Africa
• South America
• Southeastern Europe (since the last
harvest season)
Toxicity
Aflatoxins have an impact on both human
and animal health. Aflatoxin B1 is one of the
most potent hepato-carcinogens known and
thus, levels of aflatoxins in the diet are an
important consideration for human health.
Acute aflatoxicosis in humans is usually
associated with highly contaminated crops
such as corn and often leads to symptoms
like jaundice, low-grade fever, depression,
diarrhea, fatty degenerative changes in the
liver and many more. Chronic aflatoxicosis in
humans is usually associated with hepatocel-
lular carcinoma.
Acute symptoms in cattle are decreased
feed consumption, lower milk production,
weight loss, liver damage, increased liver
weight and/or increased kidney weight.
Another characteristic of aflatoxin expo-
sure in dairy cattle is the conversion of
aflatoxin B1 to the hydroxylated metabo-
lite, aflatoxin M1, which is excreted in milk
and can be harmful to humans consuming
the milk, too.
Regulations
Most coun-
tries have estab-
lished regulatory
limits for afla-
toxin B1 or for
total aflatoxins,
or both, which
includes the
total of aflatoxin
B1, B2, G1, and
G2, as well as
regulatory lim-
its for aflatoxin
M1. Very often
regulations also
include detailed
sampling proce-
dures, as this is
one of the most
crucial steps in
ensuring reliable
results.
The origins
of contaminated
maize reported
by the RASFF
were mainly
southeastern
Europe, including
Bulgaria, Greece,
Romania, Serbia
and Italy. The
average level of
aflatoxin B1 was
59.28 ppb (parts
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6. per billion or µg/kg) and the maximum 204
ppb in Serbian maize – 10 times above the
maximum level for feed. The EU regula-
tory limit for aflatoxin B1 in feedstuff is 20
ppb, whereas in food it is 2-5 ppb (Table
1,2).
Current technology
Testing for aflatoxins requires sophisti-
cated sampling methods that need to be
carried out at the very beginning of the supply
chain to deal with the heterogenic distribution
of this contaminant. Testing methods have
to be very sensitive as limits are between 2
and 20 parts per billion (ppb) and 0.1 ppb
for baby food. At the reception point, testing
can be done with lateral flow devices such
as the Romer Labs AgraStrip®
Aflatoxin, or
Fluorometric methods like the FluoroQuant®
Afla. The AgraQuant®
ELISA kits deliver
quantitative results within 10 to 20 minutes.
An ELISA reader, such as the StatFax®
or
Chromate reader®
is applied to quantify the
test kit’s results. The reference method of
choice in laboratories is LC-MS/MS nowadays,
which is a technology that can detect all major
mycotoxins, including aflatoxins, simultane-
ously.
Expert statements
Austria
Prof Rudolk Krska is an international
mycotoxin expert from the University of
Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU)
in Vienna, Austria.
Prof Krska says, “Due to climate change,
conditions in Europe, especially in Southern
Europe, are very favorable for the growth of
Aspergillus. This means that Europe will have
more homemade aflatoxin cases in its crops
in the future.
“The food and feed industry has to adapt
its risk management to cope with this new
threat and minimize aflatoxin exposure in
Europe.”
Italy
GLM - Gruppo Lavoro Micotossine - is
a working group of Italian technicians and
researchers interested in food and feed
contamination, who pay particular attention
to mycotoxins and their consequences on
human and animal health.
“The main health problem in 2012 was
aflatoxin-contaminated corn. There were
some problems with aflatoxins in 2003
and 2005 too, but with lower levels and
in limited areas,” says the GLM working
group.
“All industries were suffering from the
elevated aflatoxin levels, from the farmer
with reduced production to the processor,
who had difficulties to source ‘healthy’ goods
and had to increase analytical controls.”
For analytical purposes, the GLM explains,
“Rapid tests are used by drying and storage
facilities and food/feed processors. They also
use ELISA tests. The method of choice for
laboratories is HPLC analysis.”
“The health and surveillance authorities
issued many decrees and gave directions
on possible actions to be taken. Moreover,
controls on milk were increased tightly and
many industry operators purchased state-of-
the-art technology equipment to deal with
the aflatoxin problem.”
“The issues related to mycotoxins are
increasing and climate changes play a role,
too. In future, there will also be problems
with mycotoxins, but the operators now
have good experience and will know how
to deal with emergencies.”
United Kingdom
Prof Naresh Magan is an international
mycology expert from the Cranfield University
in Bedford, UK.
“The EU green paper identified the
Mediterranean regions as the hotspots for
climate change impacts”, says Prof Magan.
“Thus, the incidences in Northern Italy in
maize and along the belt stretching east and
perhaps west into South France, Spain and
Portugal may become more prevalent for
aflatoxin. For example, in north Italy big impacts
are being seen on milk production for the
cheese industry.”
“The high quality cheese industries will be
predominantly affected by contaminated milk.
Feed will have to be treated appropriately to
minimize aflatoxin contamination in milk.”
“The affected European countries are
beginning to realise that an effective myco-
toxin management plan is needed. But still,
there needs to be a significant improvement
in awareness of aflatoxins in feed and the
metabolite aflatoxin M1 in milk. Further, farm-
ers/coops need more education. The food
and feed companies will start seeing impacts
from last year and this year and sourcing good
quality raw commodities will be more difficult.”
Speaking about aflatoxins as a problem in
future harvest periods, Prof Magan does not
think that the issue was a one-time event, but
more a periodic, common problem from now
onwards, mostly because of the extreme wet
and dry conditions.
The future?
Aflatoxin B1 is one of the most carcinogen-
ic substances on the planet, 100 times more
toxic than pesticides, for instance. Previously,
they were mainly problems in tropical regions,
but now need to be seen as an issue in Europe,
especially in Southeastern regions. European
countries are also being affected by aflatoxins
because of extreme weather conditions and
the food and feed industry needs to be aware
of that.
Major maize exporting nations such as
Argentina, Brazil and the USA have developed
risk-management systems over recent decades
to handle the aflatoxin risk. Europe needs to
look at these examples to adapt their systems
to this new reality, where aflatoxins are now
on the agenda.
Table 2: Aflatoxins in Feed (EC regulation 100/2003)
Commodity Maximum Level B1
All feed materials 20 ppb
Complementary and complete feed with the exception of: 10 ppb
compound feed for dairy cattle and calves, dairy sheep and lambs, dairy goats and kids, piglets and young poultry animals 5 ppb
compound feed for cattle (except dairy cattle and calves), sheep (except dairy sheep and lambs), goats (except dairy goats and
kids), pigs (except piglets) and poultry (except young animals)
20 ppb
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