Deoxynivalenol and T2 toxin content in wheat and bread from different Transilvania Region

Abstract

The toxins produced by Fusarium fungi that contaminate cereals are a serious concern. The most important and broad family of fusariotoxins are trichothechenes, which comprise several components divided into 4 groups, with types A and B being the most significant. In order to determine the level of DON and T2 toxin, we collected a number of 25 amples, of which 10 were bread and 15 wheat, all of them were collected from the Transylvania region. In wheat samples, DON was identified in all 15 samples analyzed, with values between 33-2225 μg / kg, with an average value of 672.6 μg / kg and with a median of 372 μg / kg. Of these, 4 samples exceeded the maximum limit imposed by European legislation of 1250 μg / kg for DON, the maximum value being 2225 μg / kg. In the bread samples, the presence of DON was found in 8 out of 10 samples analyzed (80%) with values not exceeding the limits of European legislation of 500 μg / kg, between 0-321 μg / kg. Regarding the T2 toxin content, it was identified in only 2 of the samples analyzed (8%), a wheat sample and a bread sample, with values of 7 μg / kg and 5 μg / kg, these values not exceeding European standards. The results obtained by us show a high DON contamination at the level of wheat grains harvested from different counties of Transylvania, some of the values not respecting the European standards, but with low values recorded in bread samples. Regarding T2 mycotoxin, this was detected only in 2 samples, with low values and for this reason do not consist a high risk for human health.