Fungal contamination and mycotoxin natural occurrence in oats for race horses feeding in Argentina

A mycological survey was carried out for the first time. on oat samples with hull collected in the Argentinean province of Entre Rios in 2006. Twenty-three oat samples were evaluated. Aflatoxins, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol and fumonisins were also analysed. Species of the genus Alternaria were the most prevalent component of the oats mycoflora. Species belonging to Aspergillus, Fusarium, Arthrinium, Acremonium and Curvularia genera were also recorded. The predominant species of these isolated genera were Alternaria alternata (0.59 of specific relative density) and Aspergillus flavus (0.34). Aflatoxins, zearalenone and deoxynivalenol were not detected in all samples and only fumonisin B, was detected in two samples from Entre Rios Province at low concentration levels (108.0 and 105.0 mu g/kg). Based on the observed prevalence of Alternaria alternata, the potential presence of toxins such as tenuazonic acid, alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether may pose a contamination risk for oats produced in Entre Rios Province. On the other hand, according to the incidence of Aspergillus flavus in the samples coming from Buenos Aires, under inappropriate storage conditions aflatoxins and cyclopiazonic acid might be produced. The fumonisins concentration found in the Argentinean oats did not represent a threat to animal health for high consumers of oats. The present study has provided, for the first time, information on the internal mycoflora of oats and natural occurrence of fumonisins in Argentina. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.