Distribution of Fusarium mycotoxins in wheat milling process

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a fungal disease that affects cereals and is capable of producing mycotoxins, creating health concerns. In southern Brazil, FHB of wheat is caused by the Fusarium graminearum species complex that produces mainly deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZON) mycotoxins. The...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Food control 2015-07, Vol.53, p.91-95
Main Authors: Tibola, Casiane Salete, Fernandes, José Mauricio Cunha, Guarienti, Eliana Maria, Nicolau, Marcio
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Deoxynivalenol
Ergosterol
Fusarium graminearum
Milling process
Triticum aestivum
Wheat
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Summary:Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a fungal disease that affects cereals and is capable of producing mycotoxins, creating health concerns. In southern Brazil, FHB of wheat is caused by the Fusarium graminearum species complex that produces mainly deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZON) mycotoxins. There is a need for research-based information on how different contamination levels affect these mycotoxins' distribution in the milling process. The objective of this study was to analyze the Fusarium mycotoxin distribution within each milled fraction, extracted from wheat lots artificially contaminated with a crescent gradient of mycotoxins. Wheat samples produced in 2013 season in Southern Brazil region were obtained from plots of breeding program. The wheat samples were artificially contaminated with residues of cleaning and pre-cleaning process, including light and shriveled grains, obtained from a Fusarium nursery screening plot. Pilot-scale milled wheat fractions were collected, comprising finished flour and bran. The Fusarium mycotoxin content was determined by chromatography (UHPLC-MS/MS). The results obtained show that DON presented exponential growth relative to the initial levels of mycotoxin in wheat milled fractions (finished flour and bran). The DON concentration was significativelly higher in bran, when compared with milled wheat and finished flour, in the DON levels lower than 1000 μg kg−1. The finished flour presented lower DON levels when compared with milled wheat, but this reduction was inadequate, to meet the current regulation limits for food. •Milled fractions presented exponential growth of DON relative to the initial levels.•DON levels increased significantly in bran in the lower levels, up to 1000 μg kg−1.•The mycotoxin in the internal part of the grain was likely due to fungal growth.•Milling process cannot be solely used as an effective tool for DON reduction.
ISSN:0956-7135
1873-7129
DOI:10.1016/j.foodcont.2015.01.012