Mycotoxins are the most notorious compounds contaminating food crops in the production chains, in which cereals
and nuts are primarily infected. The present study was aimed at determining multi-mycotoxins in maize grain samples
collected at post-harvest stages across the main maize producing districts of Ethiopia. Then, 80 maize samples were
collected from three districts (Bako, Ilu Gelan and Oda Bultum) and were analysed by LC-MS/MS. A total of 114
metabolites were with Penicillium and Aspergillus metabolites being positively identified in 26.3 and 18.4% of the
samples, respectively. Among the mycotoxins addressed by regulatory limits, deoxynivalenol was detected in 85%
of samples with the maximum level of 2,530 μg/kg, while zearalenone was detected in 81%, with levels as high as
3,750 μg/kg. A marked difference was observed across the study locations in the study areas, in which significant
difference (P<0.005) of mycotoxin contamination recorded. For instances, of the total sample, contamination was
detected on 78.1% in Oda Bultum followed by Ilu Gelan which was detected on 73.7% of the total samples with less
proportion of contaminated from Bako district (68.4%). Different mycotoxins of regulated, binding or masked and
emerging mycotoxin were also simultaneously detected in the samples. Intervention strategies which can reduce
mycotoxin contamination along the maize value chains are required to combat the mycotoxin problems. Further,
multi-season studies over multiple agro-ecologies are suggested for the county.
Keywords: multi-mycotoxins, secondary metabolites, maize grain samples, potential growing areas, post-harvest
Dr. Abdi Hassen