Presence, Quantification, and Health Risk Assessment of Mycotoxins in Polyfloral Bee-Collected Pollen from Serbia

Bee-collected pollen (BCP), due to its valuable nutrient content, is considered a natural food suitable for human consumption. On the other hand, it should be noted that the rich nutritional value of BCP is also relevant in the context of potential contamination with fungal secondary metabolites, such as mycotoxins. In this study, a total of 26 pollen samples were collected from different locations in order to investigate the potential presence of mycotoxins. All BCP samples were obtained from beekeepers who produce pollen for further commercialization. The analyzed mycotoxins included ochratoxin A (OTA), aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), zearalenone (ZEN), T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, deoxynivalenol (DON), and fumonisins (FUMs), which were measured by direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The obtained results indicated the presence of at least three toxins in all samples. AFB1, OTA, and ZEN were detected above the limit of quantification (LOQ) in all samples, whereas T-2 and HT-2 were below the LOQ in five samples and DON in four samples. FUMs were below LOQ in all samples. Due to the significant content of AFB1 determined in all samples, there is a potential risk for future consumers, demanding constant monitoring as well as improvement of BCP production.