Survey of Patulin Contamination in Italian Apple Juices from Organic and Conventional Agriculture

There is an increasing concern of consumers about food safety and contaminants. In this study, 26 commercial apple juices from organic, integrated and conventional agriculture were analysed for the mycotoxin patulin by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography using diode array detection. The patulin content showed a skewed distribution, the average percentage of juice contamination was 58% and all samples had a patulin content below the actual safe limit of 50 g L 1. Data on organic products are discussed and compared with information from the literature.