Evaluation of effect of measures taken after a DON outbreak

Abstract

In April 1999 an amount of 2600 μg/kg DON was found in a sample breakfast cereals in the Netherlands. This event was the start of a lot of activities, which dealt with the prevention, control, health and consumer aspects of DON in food for human consumption. The Food Inspection Services started a monitoring program to measure DON in cereal products, flour and raw cereals. The National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, another part of the Ministry of Health in the Netherlands, was asked to carry out a risk analysis on DON. This was the basis for the Minister of Health to set an action limit for consumer products. She also informed Brussels and asked for a European limit. The Main Board on Agriculture set out to implement measures to be taken at harvesting, milling and bread baking industry. The Scientific Committee on Food of the EC expressed an opinion on DON in December 1999. Worldwide attention leads to discussion of a DON limit by JECFA in February 2001.In the period may 1999 until march 2002 a number of more than 1700 samples were analysed on DON. These originated from the cereal harvest of the years 1998 until 2001. The results showed a sharp decrease of DON content in samples of harvest 1999 when compared to 1998. This lower level was maintained in the 2000 and 2001 harvests. Apparently the measures taken to control the DON level succeeded to maintain values below the action limits. Despite these activities a smaller outbreak of DON appeared in 2001 in pasta products at a lower extent. This indicated that control should be done systematically, not sporadically, and at a European level, which is made possible since EC has set a limit in July 2000. Analytical results of the measurements are presented, together with the chronological order of the associated activities of national, EU and worldwide bodies on human health control. Special attention is paid to DON in bread, related to the level in flour.