Published in Scientific Bulletin. Series F. Biotechnologies, Vol. XXI
Written by Irina SMEU, Elena Mirela CUCU, Alina Alexandra DOBRE, Enuța IORGA

Sixteen samples of breakfast cereals purchased from the Romanian market were studied in order to evaluate the possible occurrence of mycotoxins. The influence of microbiological and physical-chemical attributes that may determine the incidence of the toxins was studied. A BIOLOG system was used for the identification of the fungal strains. A sandwich-type enzyme –linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was optimized and validated in-house for the quantification of two mycotoxins: deoxinivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA). The validation of the method was based on following performance parameters: accuracy (measured as percent error), precision (measured as coefficient of variance), reproducibility and repeatability (precision within- and between-day and analyst variability), limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ). Recovery of the method was tested at low, medium and high levels of the working range (three concentration levels) for each mycotoxin in spiked breakfast cereal samples. According to the results, all samples presented levels far below their legal limits.

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