Influence of degree of wheat infestation with Fusarium on its technological quality and safety

Abstract

Climatic conditions prior to wheat harvest 2010 were favorable for the development of field molds. The most important wheat contamination that should be determined is the presence and frequency of grain lots infected with Fusarium. This paper presents the results of content of fusarious kernels found in samples collected from all wheat growing regions of Serbia. Investigations were performed according to the regulations which foresee sensory determination of content of infected kernels. Determined average content of fusarious kernels was 6.01%, varying in range from 0% to 29.65 %. The obtained results, which exceeded the upper limits of permitted contents defined by national and EU regulations, pointed to the need for investigation of presence of Fusarium metabolic products, i.e. mycotoxins (zearalenone (ZEA) and deoxinivalenol (DON)) in wheat. Mycotoxin content was determined in average wheat samples and in wheat samples with increased content of fusarious kernels. Direct enzymatic immunoaffinity test (ELISA) was applied for determination of mycotoxin content. Although high content of fusarious kernels characterizes wheat crop in 2010, the determined quantities of two investigated mycotoxins did not exceed maximal permitted content. Consequences of unfavorable quantity and structure of total impurities in wheat crop in 2010 reflect decreased commercial and technological quality of wheat and point out to the need of necessary wheat safety control.