Zearalenone in feed, urine and meat from three pig farms in Croatia

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a mycotoxin of the genus Fusarium which belongs to the group of macrocyclic lactones. ZEN contamination occurs during cereal harvest or in the early phase of storage if drying was insufficient. The aim of this study was to determine the level of ZEN in feed mixtures given to pigs during the fattening period at three different farms in the Republic of Croatia, as also to determine ZEN levels in urine and meat taken from the same animals. The study also examined correlation between ZEN concentrations in urine and meat with the estimation of ZEN intake in the human body through meat consumption, expressed as a percentage of the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI). In total, 9 feed mixtures (3 samples per farm), 45 urine and 45 meat samples (from 15 animals per farm) were taken during 2021 from three pig farms located in eastern and central Croatia. ZEN concentrations were determined by the competitive enzyme ELISA method. All values in feed from all three farms were within maximum recommended limit (MRL) given in EU Recommendation, i.e., 250 μg/kg, though at one far, the levels recorded were just under the MRL. Monitoring of ZEN levels in urine can be used as an indicator for the detection of feed contamination with this mycotoxin. Although pigs were fed with feed with near the MRL level of contamination, a negligible percentage of TDI value was obtained for this mycotoxin for humans through meat consumption. However, since meat is just one component of the human diet, and in view of the fact that ZEN can be present in a number of foodstuffs, especially cereals, its total intake could be significantly higher than estimated herein.