The occurrence of HT-2 toxin and other trichothecenes in Norwegian cereals

A total of 449 grain samples, 102 barley, 169 wheat and 178 oat samples were collected from different regions of Norway from 1996–1998 crops, mainly from grain loads and silos. The samples were analysed for type A and B trichothecenes, the largest groups of mycotoxins produced by the Fusarium species, by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS). Factors affecting the presence of the different trichothecenes are discussed. Deoxynivalenol (DON) and HT-2 toxin were the trichothecenes most frequently detected, followed by T-2 toxin, nivalenol, and scirpentriol, scirpentriol being detected only in seven samples (>20 μg/kg).Oats were the grain species most heavily contaminated with an incidence(% >20 μg/kg) and mean concentration of positive samples of 70%(115 μg/kg) for HT-2 toxin, 30% (60 μg/kg) for T-2 toxin, 57%(104 μg/kg) for DON, and 10% (56 μg/kg) for nivalenol. The corresponding values for barley were 22% (73 μg/kg), 5% (85 μg/kg),17% (155 μg/kg) and 6% (30 μg/kg), and for wheat 1.2% (20 μg/kg),0.6% (20 μg/kg), 14% (53 μg/kg) and 0% for HT-2, T-2, DON and nivalenol, respectively. Norwegian oats were found to contain HT-2 and T-2 toxin in concentrations that might be at threat to human health for high consumers of oats. The amount of DON was significantly lower than in the crop from previous years.