Prevalence and concentration of mycotoxins (Aflatoxin B1, Ochratoxin A, Deoxynivalenol and Zearalenone) in the boiled poultry eggs and probabilistic health risk assessment: a case study in Jordan

This study aimed to detect the prevalence and concentration of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON), ochratoxin A (OTA) and zearalenone (ZEN) in yolk and white boiled poultry eggs in Jordan. Two hundred and fifty poultry egg samples were collected from governates of Jordan during six month (March 2017 until September 2017) and then concentration of mycotoxins in the yolk and white of eggs was detected by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). In addition, probabilistic health risk assessment due to ingestion boiled poultry eggs content of mycotoxins (AFB1, DON, OTA and ZEN) in the adults and children consumers was estimated using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) technique. The rank order of mycotoxins in the yolk of eggs based on prevalence was ZEN (96.56%) >DON (93.51%) >OTA (90.27%) >AFB1 (78.95%) and in white of eggs was ochratoxin A (97.44%) > deoxynivalenol (96.57%) > zearalenone (73.91%) > aflatoxin B1 (73.26%). In addition, the rank order of mycotoxins in the yolk of eggs based on concentration was deoxynivalenol (1.01 mu g/kg) > zearalenone (0.96 mu g/kg) > aflatoxin B1 (0.80 mu g/kg) > ochratoxin A (0.47 mu g/kg) and in the white of eggs based on concentration was deoxynivalenol (1.24 mu g/kg) > zearalenone (0.99 mu g/kg) > aflatoxin B1 (0.83 mu g/kg) > ochratoxin A (0.54 mu g/kg). Concentration of AFB1, DON and ZEN in the yolk was not significantly different with white of eggs (p value > 0.05) but concentration of OTA in the white of eggs was higher than yolk of eggs, significantly (p value < 0.05). The probabilistic health risk assessment shows that adults and children consumers are at the concern health risk (Margin of Exposures <10,000) due to aflatoxin B1. It is recommended to carry out to control the concentration of mycotoxins in protein products such as poultry eggs in Jordan.