Seasonal investigation of aflatoxin b1, total aflatoxin (B1+B2+G1+G2) and okratoxin a in raw meatball (without meat)

Çiğ köfte (meatlesssteak tartar balls) is a traditional food that consumed fondly in Turkey. Generally, Çiğ köfte includes combination of fine bulgur wheat and some spicesand it's for biden to use ground meat in the commercial production. Risk of mycotoxin production could happen duet oto unfavourable production and storage conditions of the bulgur wheat and spices. For this reason, the presence and level of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), Total Aflatoxin (B1+B2+G1+G2) and Ochratoxin A (OTA) were investigated meat-free çiğ köfte samples collected between December 2019 and November 2020. A total of 80 meat-free çiğ köfte samples, 40 of them in the autumn-winter season and 40 of them in the spring-summer season, were collected from different production and sales. Samples were kept at -20 ̊C until the analysis. All samples were then analyzed using commercial ELISA test kits. As a consequence, AFB1 is found in 40% of spring-summer samples and 12.5% of autumn-winter samples; Total AF is detected in 22.5% of spring-summer samples; 15.5% of autumn-winter samples; the OTA level is observed in 7.5% of spring-summer samples; 5% of autumn-winter samples. Inconclusion, it is necessary to comply with hygiene conditions in the production and storage stages beginning from the harvest, in order to prevent the formation of toxins, especially in bulgur and some spicesused for the production of çiğ köfte.