Occurrence and intake of deoxynivalenol in cereal-based products marketed in Korea during 2007–2008

Abstract

The occurrence of deoxynivalenol (DON) was investigated in 514 cereal-based products (corn-based, n = 125; barley-based, n = 96; wheat-based, n = 94; rice-based, n = 199) marketed in Korea during 2007−2008, and estimates of DON intake were determined. Samples were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet light (UV) detection after immunoaffinity clean-up. The limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) were 2.2 and 5.6 µg kg–1, respectively. Recoveries and repeatability expressed as coefficients of variation (CV) were 82.3–100% and 2.4–15.3% in beer, bread and dried corn. The incidences and mean levels of DON were 56% and 68.9 µg kg−1 for corn-based products, 49% and 24.1 µg kg−1 for wheat-based products, 43% and 7.5 µg kg−1 for barley-based products, and 16% and 3.4 µg kg−1 for rice-based products, respectively. The estimated daily intake of DON from the consumption of rice-based, wheat-based, barley-based and corn-based products were 0.0038 µg kg−1 bw day−1, 0.0032 µg kg−1 bw day−1, 0.0015 µg kg−1 bw day−1 and 0.0002 µg kg−1 bw day−1, respectively. These values represent 0.38%, 0.32%, 0.25% and 0.01% of the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) of 1 µg kg−1 bw day−1. These results indicate that rice-based products are major contributors to DON exposure in Korea, even though the current exposure level is unlikely to cause adverse health effects.