Natural contamination of corn (Zea maïs) with mycotoxins in Yugoslavia

The 191 corn samples were collected in autumm and spring following the crop year 1975 from terminal elevators and from silos during the storage, at feed processing establishment. Some samples were taken on the farms at the region "Posavina" where the "Balkan kidney disease"--endemic nephrytis--is wide spread. The samples were analysed for : zearalenone, aflatoxins, skin irritating factors and ochratoxin A, by a modified multimycotoxins method. Zearalenone was found in 2.6 p. 100 samples (0.043-10 ppm), average 5.1 ppm. Aflatoxins were found in no samples. A skin irritating factor was found in 8.3 p. 100 samples (0.5-5.0 ppm), average 2.2 ppm, and ochratoxin A was found in 26 p. 100 samples (0.045-5.1 ppm), average 0.49 ppm.