EVALUATION OF NATURAL OCCURRENCE OF FUSARIUM MYCOTOXINS IN WHEAT FIELDS OF NORTHERN IRAN

During 1996, 35 samples of fresh harvested wheat from the Northern Iran (Gonbad & Gorgan regions) were collected. The mycotoxins including nivalenol, deoxynivalenol, fusarenone-x, diacetoxyscirpenol, ueosolaniol, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, and zearalenone were simultaneously detected. Wheat samples were extracted with aqueous methanol and purified by a 2-step chromatographic procedure using Amberlite XAD-4 and Florisil columns. Mycotoxins were detected by thin layer chromatography and quantitated by gas-liquid chromatography with flame ionization detector. The data revealed that 34, 27, and 35 out of 35 wheat samples were positive for nivalenol, neosolaniol, and zearalenone with average levels being 577.6, 476.2, and 3464.3 ppm, respectively. Deoxynivalenol, fusarenone-x, diacetoxyscirpenol, HT-2 toxin, and T-2 toxin were not detected in any of wheat samples.