Mycotoxins in cereals and cereal-based products: Incidence and probabilistic dietary risk assessment for the Brazilian population

Abstract

A probabilistic dietary risk assessment on mycotoxins was conducted using the Monte Carlo Risk Assessment software, with consumption data from the 2008/2009 Brazilian Household Budget Survey for individuals who were at least 10 years old and occurrence data for 646 samples of rice, maize, wheat, and their products, collected in the Federal District and in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Processing factors were estimated and applied to concentration data. Chronic exposure was estimated for fumonisins (free and bound/hidden), deoxynivalenol (DON) (including the acetylated forms) and zearalenone (ZON) (including alfa-zearalenol) and acute exposure was estimated for DON. For the general population, the chronic exposure exceeded the safe exposure levels at the 95P for DON and at the 99P for fumonisins. Additionally, safe level exceedance occurred at the 97.5P for fumonisins and at the 95P for DON for teenagers, as well as at the 99P for fumonisins for women of child-bearing-age. No exceedances were found for chronic exposure to ZON and acute exposure to DON. Maize couscous contributed most of the total fumonisins (91%) and ZON intakes (~40%) and bread to total intake of DON (~30%). Further studies should be conducted with updated Brazilian consumption data, which should include information for individuals aged less than 10 years old.