Mold/aflatoxin contamination of honey bee collected pollen from different Serbian regions

Assessment of microbiological quality of bee collected pollen is very important, because of its use as a supplement in the human diet. In this study, 26 samples collected from different location in Serbia were tested for the presence of mold through mycologial analysis. The presence of aflatoxin B1, one of the most dangerous and the most widespread mycotoxin was also determined. It was established that 10 of the investigated samples were contaminated with some genera or species of mold, but all of the investigated samples were contaminated with aflatoxin B1. Considering that there is no unique and official procedure for mycological analysis of bee collected pollen, these findings suggest the need for their establishment. Mycological analysis should be followed by mycotoxicological analysis since the absence of mold does not confirm the absence of aflatoxin B1 in bee pollen.