[Contamination of food products with patulin]

Based on the method for patulin determination designed by the authors the rate and level of contamination of fruit, vegetables and foods manufactured from them (juices, purees, jams) with this mycotoxin were studied. Patulin was found in 8 out of 160 samples of fruit and vegetables, the highest concentration of patulin was identified in the berries of sea buckthorn (up to 54 000 micrograms/kg). Patulin was found in 28 out of 185 samples of foods manufactured from fruit. The concentration of patulin in juices did not exceed the allowable concentrations on the average. Patulin was largely identified in apple, sea buckthorn and plum juices.