Research of patulin in frozen raspberries contaminated with field fungi

Abstract

Fresh fruit is susceptible to contamination with filamentous fungi during growing, harvesting, transport, storage and sales. For these reasons it is important to identify and take appropriate measures not only about microbiological contamination but also concerning possible presence of mycotoxins. Due to soft tissue structures berries are very susceptible to mold contamination of different mold genera including toxigenic ones (Penicillium, Aspergillus and Byssochlamys). The aim of this research was to investigate the presence of mycotoxin patulin in frozen raspberries harvested under rainy and wet conditions convenient for production of this secondary metabolite of molds in fresh raspberries. Frozen raspberry samples which were visually rated as products with intensive mold attack were taken from the most important cooling warehouses in raspberry growing region in Serbia. The method developed by Arranz et al (2005) widely represented in the EU for the determination of patulin using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection (λ = 276 nm) was used for determination of patulin in the raspberry samples. Determined contents of patulin in the samples were ranged from 1.07 to 15.33 μg/kg. Patulin content in fresh fruits as raw material for further processing is not regulated by laws in Serbia or in the European Union, but the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization-World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives has established a provisional maximum tolerable daily intake for patulin of 0.4 μg/kg of body weight per day (WHO, 1995).