Based on the observed prevalence of Alternaria alternata, the potential presence of toxins such as tenuazonic acid, alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether may pose a contamination risk for oats produced in Entre Ríos Province. On the other hand, according to the incidence of Aspergillus flavus in the samples coming from Buenos Aires, under inappropriate storage conditions aflatoxins and cyclopiazonic acid might be produced. The fumonisins concentration found in the Argentinean oats did not represent a threat to animal health for high consumers of oats.
The present study has provided, for the first time, information on the internal mycoflora of oats and natural occurrence of fumonisins in Argentina.