Deoxynivalenol. Derivation of concentration limits inwheat and wheat containing food products

The mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) produced by fungi of the Fusarium genus may occur in various cereal crops. A provisional TDI of 1.1 ug per kg body weight was derived to calculate concentration limits for the mycotoxin, deoxynivalenol (DON), in wheat and wheat food products. Children (1-4 years old) have the highest wheat consumption per kg body weight per day and form the population at risk. To derive a safe concentration limit of (cleaned) wheat, we assumed a child with a high wheat consumption. Based on the wheat content of food products and the derived concentration limit for DON in (cleaned) wheat, concentration limits for various food products were calculated. These included 1 ug-DON/kg for (cleaned) wheat, 60 ug-DON/kg for bread and 120 ug-DON/kg for food products with a wheat content greater than 33%.The suggestion is to monitor only the (cleaned) wheat for food products with a wheat content less than 33%.