Over a period of 8 years (2000-2007), wheat (n = 407) and rye (n = 510) samples of integrated and organic cultivation in the Federal State of Brandenburg were analyzed by HPLC for the Fusarium toxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA). In the years 2002 and 2007, the overall contamination level was higher than in the other years. The percentage of DON-positives (>50 µg/kg) varied from 5 to 86%, the median and maximum levels varied from 50 to 380 µg/kg and from 50 to 10,400 µg/kg, respectively. The percentage of ZEA-positives (>3 µg/kg) varied from 2 to 41%, the median and maximum levels varied from 8 to 84 µg/kg and from 10 to 451 µg/kg. In the 8 years of testing, frequency and levels of DON and ZEA were significantly lower in cereals of organic cultivation compared with cereals of integrated cultivation.
The extraction of naturally contaminated maize-based products using methanol / water (3+1) or methanol / 0.1 M hydrochloric acid (3+1) produced varying results. Compared with methanol / water extraction tested in IUPAC/AOAC intercomparison studies, as a rule acid extraction achieves a higher fumonisin content. Strong anion exchange columns are very effective for the analysis of untreated maize, such as maize grits or maize meal. This method guarantees satisfactory extract purification. In products with a high fat content (such as maize based snack products) or cornflakes, SAX columns were not particularly effective. For there immunoaffinity columns provide a highly selective extract purification and achieve a very pure chromatogram. Immunoaffinity columns were also used on cornflakes as they achieved better results than the SAX columns.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.