Evaluation of mycotoxins in imported wheat from SAGO Al-Jouf

Abstract

The quality of cereals is very important for both human and animal nutrition. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of filamentous fungi that occur naturally in food and feed. The presence of these compounds in the food chain is of high concern for human health due to their properties to induce severe toxicity effects at low dose levels. Trichothecenes, zearalenone (ZEN) and fumonisin are the major Fusarium mycotoxins occurring in cereal grains, animal feeds and forages. Conditions that predispose to mycotoxin production by Fusarium species include humidity, temperature, aeration and substrate type. Even if a great number of fungal metabolites have been designated as mycotoxins, a small number are known to have significant animal/human health and economic significance. In this context, the aim of this study is evaluate the Mycotoxicological quality of SAGO (Saudi Grain Organization) wheat grains and wheat products wheat flour for Aflatoxins, Wheat, mix wheat and flour samples were analyzed for Aflatoxins (AF), deoxynivalenol (DON), Zearalenone (ZON), T-2/HT-2 toxins and fumonisin (FM) contamination. Results reported in table 3.1 showed that deoxynivalenol (DON) and T-2/HT-2 toxins contamination was mainly observed maximum level of samples analyzed (wheat sample 160 and 101) with a maximum level of contamination of 1400 and 0165ppb. For mix wheat (113+161) analysis, the levels measured varied from 0018ppb to 0052ppb. The high level was obtained in mix wheat (sample (113+161)). Wheat flour extraction 171(IWW) was the most contaminated with T-2/HT-2 toxins with 0021 ppb. Flour samples constituted of wheat flour extraction didn’t show any contamination by Aflatoxins (AF), deoxynivalenol (DON), Zearalenone (ZON) and fumonisin (FM) compared to other samples from imported wheat.