Effect of Wheat Milling Process on the Distribution of Alternaria Toxins.

Elizabet Janić Hajnal,Dragana Budakov,Jovana Kos,Jasna Mastilović,Ferenc Bagi,Dejan Orčić,Zagorka Savić

doi:10.3390/toxins11030139

Abstract

Alternaria toxins are mycotoxins produced by various Alternaria species which, besides the Fusarium species, represent the principal contaminants of wheat worldwide. As currently, only limited information on the behaviour of Alternaria toxins during processing of cereals is available, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the dry milling process of wheat on Alternaria toxins distribution. Alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) and tenuazonic acid (TeA) content were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in all milling fractions of untreated (control), fungicide-treated, Alternaria tenuissima inoculated and commercial wheat sample. After dry milling process, in last break and milling flows and by-products, increased concentration of examined Alternaria toxins was detected. TeA was quantified in almost all milling fractions in all tested wheat samples, while AOH and AME were detectable mostly in last break and milling flows and by-products. In respect to the contamination with Alternaria toxins, white flour can be considered as relatively safe product. Since Alternaria toxins are concentrated mainly in the peripheral parts of the kernel, a special attention should be given to their content in low-grade flours and milling by-products.

Highlights

Cereals and cereal by-products play an important role in the daily human diet, as well as in animal nutrition
Alternaria toxins can be grouped into five different structural classes: dibenzopyrone derivatives—alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) and altenuene (ALT); tetramic acid derivatives—tenuazonic acid (TeA) and iso-tenuazonic acid; perylene derivatives—altertoxins I (ALX-I), altertoxin II (ALX-II) and alertoxin III (ALX-III) and stemphyltoxin
The results obtained in this study indicate that during dry milling process distribution of examined Alternaria toxins takes place according to the same principle as in the case of DON

Summary

Introduction

Cereals and cereal by-products play an important role in the daily human diet, as well as in animal nutrition. As first-stage physical methods, cleaning and sorting processes are used to sort and clean grains based on kernel uniformity, weight, size and shape. These processes, by removing kernels with extensive mould growth, broken kernels, fine materials and dust, may reduce mycotoxins contamination in wheat; there is no step that destroys mycotoxins [5]. Besides Fusarium spp., fungi of the genus Alternaria are considered as another group of ubiquitous pathogens on wheat leaves and ears They are widespread in both humid and semi-arid regions and can infect growing plants in the field [6]. Alternaria toxins can be grouped into five different structural classes: dibenzopyrone derivatives—alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) and altenuene (ALT); tetramic acid derivatives—tenuazonic acid (TeA) and iso-tenuazonic acid (iso-TeA); perylene derivatives—altertoxins I (ALX-I), altertoxin II (ALX-II) and alertoxin III (ALX-III) and stemphyltoxin

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion