Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A in dried chestnuts and chestnut flour produced in Italy

The occurrence of aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in chestnut products made in Italy was surveyed. Thirty-seven samples of chestnut flour and fourteen of dried chestnuts were collected from retail outlets located in northern Italy. The mycotoxin contamination found in this survey was widespread and remarkable. As regards aflatoxins, the incidence of aflatoxin B1 was 62.2 and 21.4 % in chestnut flour and dried chestnuts, respectively; in the same products, the percentage of samples exceeding the value of 2.0 µg kg-1 for aflatoxin B1 (maximum limit fixed by EC Regulation 165/2010 in dried fruits) was 24.3 % and 7.1 %. A widespread and high incidence of AFG1 was also found (40.5 %). The maximum values for aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxins were 67.88 and 188.78 µg kg-1, respectively (chestnut flour sample). Ochratoxin A occurred in all samples, showing very high values (mean 12.38 and 13.63 µg kg-1 for chestnut flour and dried chestnuts, respectively); the percentages of samples exceeding the limit of 10 µg kg-1 (EU limits for dried vine fruit) were 64.9 and 42.8 % for chestnut flour and dried chestnuts, respectively. The maximum value was 65.84 µg kg-1 (dried chestnut sample).