DOI: https://doi.org/10.5513/JCEA01/27.3.5116
Original scientific paper
Alternaria mycotoxins in fruits and vegetable samples in the Republic of Serbia – is there an impact on human health?
2026, 27 (3) p. 651-658
Vojislava Bursić, Tijana Stojanović, Gorica Vuković, Nataša Mandić, Milena Popov, Bojan Konstantinović, Nikola Puvača, Dušan Marinković, Antonije Žunić
Abstract
The Alternaria fungi are capable of producing more than 70 distinct mycotoxins, widespread across numerous food and feed matrices, including cereals, beverages (e.g. wine), vegetables and fruit, making human dietary and environmental exposure highly probable. Among the Alternaria mycotoxins, alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) are considered relevant for human and animal health due to their documented carcinogenic, mutagenic and genotoxic properties. In contrast, tentoxin (TEN) primarily affects plants. This study aimed to determine levels of AOH, AME, and TEN in vegetables and fruit samples purchased from the market of the Republic of Serbia and to estimate human exposure. None of the three Alternaria mycotoxins examined in this study was detected in any of the tested matrices. Concurrently, the importance of AOH and AME was highlighted by the European Commission, which has recommended the enhanced monitoring of the two compounds in foodstuffs, since chronic dietary exposure may exceed the relevant threshold of toxicological concern. Further monitoring in the Republic of Serbia should be extended, aggregate exposure taken into account, and the risk for human health estimated because of toxicological concerns related to their carcinogenic, mutagenic and genotoxic properties.
Keywords
alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, tentoxin, exposure assessment, LC-MS/MS, risk assessment
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