| Abstract: | A UK survey for the occurrence of the Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (vomitoxin) in 87 samples of both feeding and malting barleys has shown levels of less than 0.02 mg kg?1 in 90% of the samples. The barleys containing deoxynivalenol (0.02–0.36 mg kg?1) were mostly feeding samples and showed no geographical trend within the UK. In contrast, for imported maize and brewers maize, only 25% of the samples showed levels less than 0.02 mg kg?1 deoxynivalenol, the remainder ranging from 0.02-1.4 mg kg?1 with ten samples (36% of the total number analysed) having levels greater than 0.1 mg kg?1. All samples were analysed by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (selected ion monitoring) of the TMS deoxynivalenol derivative. For two of the maize samples full mass spectra were obtained of the deoxynivalenol showing very good agreement with reference spectra and confirming the identity of the trichothecene. |
