A survey of the occurrence of nivalenol, deoxynivalenol and zearalenone in food stuffs and health foods in Japan

By adopting a rapid and sensitive method for simultaneous detection of nivalenol (NIV), deoxynivalenol (vomitoxin, DON) and zearalenone (ZEN), the natural occurrence of these mycotoxins in Japan in retail marked cereal flours, popcorn and health foods (totalling 76 samples) was surveyed. Significant contamination by NIV and DON was observed in commercial wheat and barley flours, and partially milled grains which are consumed as rice ingredients. Of particular interest was the presence of DON in popcorn imported from the United States, and the high-level contamination of NIV and ZEN in job's-tears (Hatomugi in Japanese), a widely marketed health food.