A limited survey of cereal foods from the German market for Fusarium toxins (deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, fumonisins)

Samples of cereal foods, comprising ten each samples of barley, maize, and rye, and 20 samples of wheat were purchased in September 1997 from local retail stores and health food shops in Munich. These products (whole grains, grits, whole meal) were analysed by enzyme immunoassays for deoxynivalenol and zearalenone, maize samples were additionally analysed for fumonisins. Mean detection limits were at 30 μg/kg (deoxynivalenol), 5 μg/kg (zearalenone), and 3 μg/kg (fumonisins). Overall contamination levels were highest in maize, followed by wheat, barley, and rye. Deoxynivalenol was detected in most samples of barley (n=9; x=105 μg/kg; range: 32-440 μg/kg), maize (n=8; x=548 μg/kg; range: 130-910 μg/kg), rye (n=7; x=51 μg/kg; range: 31-86 μg/kg), and wheat (n=17; x=143 μg/kg; range: 36-370 μg/kg). Zearalenone was detected at lower levels in barley (n=3; x=5.7 μg/kg; range: 5.1-6.4 μg/kg), maize (n=8, x=54.6 μg/kg; range: 18-92 μg/kg), rye (n=4; x=7.6 μg/kg; range: 5.3-12 μg/kg), and wheat (n=6; x=9.0 μg/kg; range: 5.1-12 μg/kg). Eight out of ten maize samples contained detectable levels of fumonisins x=532 μg/kg; range: 3.6-2600 μg/kg). The results show that cereal foods from the German retail market are frequently contaminated with Fusarium toxins, in some cases at levels which are significant with regard to food safety.