Occurrence of trichothecene mycotoxins in cereals harvested in the Czech Republic

Abstract

A large-scale survey of the natural occurrence of trichothecene mycotoxins in major cereals harvested in the Czech Republic was conducted during the years 1999–2001. In total, 198 cereal samples representing various wheat, barley, and rye cultivars were examined for deoxynivalenol (DON) using gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC-ECD). Four years later, in 2005, the list of target analytes was fairly extended, 65 wheat and barley samples were analysed for seven trichothecene mycotoxins – deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), fusarenon-X (Fus-X), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol and 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (ADONs), HT-2 toxin (HT-2). and T-2 toxin (T-2) by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Trichothecenes represented mainly by DON were detected in almost all grain samples, its mean levels were the highest in the year 1999 which was characterised by very humid conditions during the growing season. The maximum concentration set in Commission Regulation EC (No. 856/2005) for DON (1250 µg/kg) in unprocessed cereals was exceeded only in two of all the samples analysed.