DEOXYNIVALENOL (DON) IN WHEAT AND MAIZE

Objective

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a fungal toxin particularly associated with cereals. Contamination by DON is of concern for crops grown in areas whose climates favour mould formation, notably, North America and northern Europe. Discrepancies of 2 orders of magnitude in the results of laboratories monitoring DON have been recorded in recent international studies. The project set out to improve the reliability of the methods and to provide blank and contaminated maize and wheat reference materials (RM).

Four intercomparisons of methods have been made to reduce the major sources of errors. A pair of wheat and a pair of maize reference materials have been prepared. They consist of naturally contaminated samples having low levels close to the recommended (voluntary) action limits, and samples having low levels to provide a means of checking analytical background and recovery efficiency. Certification measurements were made by 8 laboratories using a variety of extraction and clean up procedures with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as the final step. The certified values of DON (mg/kg) were as follows:
RM number 377: maize flour low level < 0.05;
RM number 378: maize flour high level = 0.43 (+/-0.04);
RM number 379: wheat flour high level = 0.67 (+/-0.02);
RM number 396: wheat flour low level < 0.05.
DON is a fungal toxin particularly associated with cereals. In extreme cases, DON in mouldy grain has caused serious human illness. The presence of DON in grain may lead to feed-refusal by farm animals.
Contamination by DON is of concern for crops grown in areas whose climates favour mould formation, notably, north-America and northern Europe. Discrepancies of two orders of magnitude in the results of laboratories have been recorded in recent international studies. The objective of the project was to improve the reliability of the methods and to provide blank and contaminated maize and wheat RMs.

Programme(s)

• FP2-BCR 4 - Research and development programme (EEC) in the field of applied metrology and chemical analysis (Community Bureau of Reference - BCR), 1988-1992

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

MAFF Food Science Laboratory

Address

Norwich Research Park Colney
NR4 7UQ Norwich
United Kingdom

Participants (10)

Bayerische Landesanstalt für Tierzucht

Germany

Address

Prof Dürrwächter Platz 1
8011 Grub

Istituto Tossine e Micotossine da Parassiti Vegetali

Italy

Address

Via G Amendola 197/F
70126 Bari

Keuringsdienst van Waren voor het Gebied Rotterdam

Netherlands

Address

74,Baan
3011 CD Rotterdam

RIKILT

Netherlands

Address

6700 AE Wageningen

Rank Hovis McDougall Technology Ltd

United Kingdom

Address

Lord Rank Centre Lincoln Road
HP12 3QR High Wycombe

Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieuhygiene

Netherlands

Address

3720 BA Bilthoven

Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University

Denmark

Address

12,Bülowsvej
1870 Copenhagen V

TNO Biotechnology & Chemistry Institute

Netherlands

Address

3700 AJ Zeist

Unilever UK Central Resources Ltd

United Kingdom

Address

Colworth House
MK44 1LQ Sharnbrook

Universität München

Germany

Address

Veterinärstraße 13
80539 München