Co-contamination of the Fusarium Mycotoxins, Nivalenol, Deoxynivalenol, and Zearalenone, in Scabby Wheat Grains Harvested in Hokkaido, Japan

By using a rapid and sensitive method for simultaneous detection of nivalenol (NIV), deoxynivalenol (DON), and zearalenone (ZEN), their natural occurrence in 18 samples of scabby wheat grains harvested in 1984 from eighteen farms in the Tokachi district of Hokkaido, a northern island of Japan, was detected. DON and ZEN were detected in all 18 samples, among which 7 (39%) samples were co-contaminated with NIV. The contents averaged 205ng/g of NIV, 3812ng/g of DON, and 189ng/g of ZEN. Thus, NIV, DON, and ZEN coexisted in the scabby wheat grains harvested in Hokkaido, where severe scabby wheat intoxication breaks out sporadically. Interestingly, the average content of DON in wheat was about 20-fold higher than that of NIV.