Jeton Spahiu

The presence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in infant formula and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in cereal-based foods for infants marketed in Kosovo was investigated. One hundred and forty-three samples collected during 2016-2017 were analysed by ELISA and suspected positive samples were further analysed by LC-MS/MS. A positive incidence of 15.0% for AFM1 in baby milk and 62.14% for AFB1 in infant cereal-derived samples was found. According to the Commission Regulation and Kosovo Codex Regulation, the AFM1 levels in baby milk samples reached the interval of 0.008 to 0.123 µg kg^-1, with two samples that exceeded the maximum residue levels (MRL). The AFB1 detected levels, in cereal-based foods for infant samples, ranged from 0.008 to 0.116 µg kg^-1, with one of them exceeding the MRL. This survey indicates that the risk of exposure to this population group through diet is evident in Kosovo. A food safety alert system and surveillance program are essential for ensuring infant health and the entire population.

Nowadays, veterinary drug application has become an integral practice in livestock farming. Veterinary antibiotics (VAs) are administered onto animals for therapeutic use; meanwhile, in some countries, they are used for growth promotion. To indicate the level of VAs use in livestock breeding in two countries, Albania and Kosovo, their presence was studied in the animal manure. In total, 38 manure samples, 22 from Kosovo and 16 samples from Albania, belonging to cattle, pig, and poultry, were collected and investigated for the presence of VAs. Seven VAs and 2 metabolites, from the groups of sulfonamides and tetracyclines, were identified by ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The detected antibiotics were sulfadiazine (SDZ), sulfathiazole (STZ), sulfamethazine (SMZ), oxytetracycline (OTC), tetracycline (TC), chlortetracycline (TC), and doxycycline (DOY). VAs were detected in 27% and 31.2% of the manure samples, from Kosovo and Albania, respectively, and the levels ranged from 0.04 to 10.1 mg kg⁻¹. VAs were widely detected (100%) in poultry manure from Kosovo, as well as poultry manure from Albania. The contamination rate ranged from pig manure (25%) to cow manure (66.6%). Sulfonamides were the most commonly detected VAs with maximum concentration of sulfadiazine (10.1 mg kg⁻¹) in poultry manure. Tetracyclines were most widely detected in poultry manure, as well as other animal manures. When it comes to the comparison between the two countries, VAs residues are more frequent per analyzed sample and higher in concentrations in the manure samples from Albania. Therefore, an environmental impact of VAs on both countries may be expected. These results indicate that VAs may enter the local ecosystem through manure application to agriculture and potentially may bring ecological risks.