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Title: A Study on the Stability of Deoxynivalenol during the Production of Selected Flour-Based Foods and Wheat Flake Cereal

Author
item Voss, Kenneth
item Snook, Maurice

Submitted to: Proceedings of the US Japan Joint Panel on Toxic Microorgnisms
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/19/2010
Publication Date: 11/1/2010
Citation: Voss, K.A., Snook, M.E. 2010. A Study on the Stability of Deoxynivalenol during the Production of Selected Flour-Based Foods and Wheat Flake Cereal [abstract]. Proceedings of the US Japan Joint Panel on Toxic Microorgnisms. p. 32.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin that is commonly found in cereals and cereal-based products. Some processing methods reduce its concentrations in the finished products whereas others do not. The concentrations of DON in flour, wheat and a selection of food products prepared from them using commercially relevant conditions were compared by gas-chromatography-electron capture detection. The mean concentrations (n=9/item) in cookies, crackers, and pretzels were in the range of 61% (cookies) to 111% (pretzels) that of the flour (100% = 0.46 µg g-1). Lower levels were found in donuts and bread so that their DON concentrations were 44% and 30%, respectively, of the flour's DON concentration. Mass balance estimations showed that the amount of DON (µg g-1 flour equivalents) recovered from the flour-based products ranged from 50% (bread, 0.23 µg g-1 flour equivalents) to 120 % (donuts), indicating that dilution by recipe ingredients significantly contributed to reducing DON concentrations in the bread and entirely accounted for the reduction in donuts. Mass balance estimates for the other products ranged from 76% in crackers to 107% in pretzels. DON concentration of the cereal flakes was higher (0.55 µg g-1 in the finished product and 0.58 µg g-1 on a mass balance basis) than that of the wheat (0.40 µg g-1). In summary, DON concentrations of were reduced 50% or more only in bread and donuts. The reduction in bread was attributed to loss of DON through thermal decomposition or chemical interactions with the food matrix in combination with dilution by recipe ingredients whereas, in contrast, dilution alone accounted for the reduction in donuts. These results are further evidence that DON is generally stable during the preparation of flour or wheat-based food products.