Fusarium mycotoxins are toxic chemicals produced by a group of fungi called Fusarium. These fungi produce mycotoxins when they infect cereals, resulting in a disease called fusarium head blight (see photo). Fusarium infects the crop during flowering in early June and symptoms develop about a month later in early July.

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Fusarium mycotoxins – What’s all the fuss about?
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2. PUB85x254-T5X 28/01/10 14:22 Page 1
Fusarium mycotoxins Feature Feature Fusarium mycotoxins
Fusarium mycotoxins Percentage
of UK wheat
harvest
samples
was a major issue for the in the south east of
– What’s all the fuss about? exceeding industry, but particularly the country.
legal limits for for bran production as The situation
DON and ZON the majority of UK wheat for barley and
Year DON ZON would have produced oats is different.
If the grower does not know the intended end use (of grain), he should not assume it is for animal feed;
bran greater than 100ppb. For barley,
“feed wheat” in the grain trade is used as a quality specification rather than a defined end-use
As a result of these fusarium mycotoxin
2001 0.4 0.7
high levels and the dif- levels have been
2002 1.7 0.6
by Prof Simon Edwards, Harper Adams University College, UK ficulty in supply of bran consistently low
2003 2.4 1.2 that would allow produc- with only a few
2004 5.5 11.3 tion of high-fibre finished samples exceeding
F
usarium mycotoxins are toxic extent of the fusarium mycotoxin issue there- concentrations exist in small and damaged grains 2005 1.5 1.2 products within limits the the ZON limit as
chemicals produced by a group fore fluctuates each season depending on rainfall and in chaff and dust, so cleaning can give some European Commission a result of delayed
2006 0.0 0.3
of fungi called Fusarium. These in early and late summer. reduction, but this is highly dependent on the qual- set a one-year derogation harvests. For oats,
2007 4.0 2.7
fungi produce mycotoxins when they The HGCA has developed a fusarium risk ity of the grain consignment before cleaning. for high-fibre breakfast DON and ZON
infect cereals, resulting in a disease assessment to allow growers to assess the risk Higher concentrations also exist in the bran 2008 13.1 28.6 cereals and wheat bran as levels have been
called fusarium head blight (see photo). of exceeding the legal limits for fusarium myco- compared to the flour fractions, so milling results 2009 2.0 5.3 an intermediary product consistently low but
Fusarium infects the crop during flowering toxins in harvested wheat. in an increase in mycotoxins in the bran fraction of 100ppb and 125ppb oats have relatively
in early June and symptoms develop The assessment is based on the known and a decrease in the flour fractions compared ZON respectively which ended in October 2009. high levels of two There are other
ways to bind
about a month later in early July. risks and includes both agronomic factors (loca- to the original grain. There is much less of an issue for fusarium other closely related
tion, rotation, cultivation, varietal resistance and Experimental results have shown that the dis- mycotoxins in feed. toxins, HT2 and T2.
Ten years ago farmers and processors were
largely unaware of what fusarium mycotoxins
fungicide use) and rainfall at key stages of crop tribution of DON and ZON is different within
development (flowering in early June) and pre- the grains. DON is highly water soluble and can
There are guideline limits of 8000ppb DON
and 2000ppb ZON for wheat intended for
There is currently no
legislation for these mycotoxins…
T5X
were, let alone aware of the potential issues. harvest (August). therefore move within the grains if repeatedly animal feed. mycotoxins but
But things have changed drastically since The risk assessment is a Crop Assurance rehydrated (eg during a wet harvest), whereas These levels are very rare in UK cereals. There legislation is under
then and mycotoxins are now one of the top Scheme requirement and the score is are lower limits for finished feeds and these vary discussion and could
issues for wheat quality. In 2006, the European included on the grain passport. If the score is Table 1: Maximum mycotoxin limits for different livestock due to differences in sensi- be an issue of oat
Commission set legislative maximum limits for high then a DON test should be performed for wheat and wheat products tivity, with lowest limits set for pig feed. processors depend-
fusarium mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON)
and zearalenone (ZON) in unprocessed cereals
to check the level present.
At the moment, National Association Product
Mycotoxin (ppb)
DON ZON
Ruminants and poultry appear more tolerant to
fusarium mycotoxins although there were reports
ing on limits set.
HGCA contin-
much more than
and finished products. of British and Irish Millers (Nabim) request of poor hatchability in poultry after the 2008 harvest. ue to fund research a Toxinbinder
The Home Grown Cereals Authority a DON test is completed for each consign- at Harper Adams,
Unprocessed wheat 1250 100
(HGCA) and Food Standards Agency (FSA) ment of wheat delivered to mills irrespec- An evolving disease Fera and TAG to
Grain and mill fractions for
awarded two research grants to Harper Adams tive of the risk assessment score. This will
human consumption
750 75 It is important to note that fusarium head improve the fusari- T5X has four major actions :
University College to identify the extent of be reviewed after the start of the 2010 blight is an evolving disease and continues um risk assessment.
fusarium mycotoxins in UK cereals and the intake and maybe relaxed based on early Wheat-based products 500 50 to change. Fusarium graminearum, the main This includes more T5X binding components have been
impact of agronomy in 2001. season results. Wheat-based products for infants 200 20 producer of DON and ZON, is increasing in precise modelling selected in a sophisticated “in vivo”
These five-year projects identified the varying One of the trade issues raised by the Note: Limits for barley and oats are as above except Northern Europe and is currently spreading up of weather data model. Mycotoxins do not pass through
extent to which UK cereals suffer from myco- mycotoxin legislation is that grain is sold DON limit for unprocessed oats is 1750ppb the eastern side of the UK. From 2001-2005, and the use of early the intestinal wall.
toxin contamination and the “Good Agricultural based on a quality specification of milling or levels of fusarium mycotoxins were consistently in-field monitoring
T5X stimulates the production of specific
Practice” that can be adopted to minimise the feed wheat and yet, feed wheat may be sold on ZON has low water solubility and appears to low in Scotland, but in 2009, the first wheat sam- of fusarium inocu-
natural detoxication enzymes to catalyse
risk from fusarium mycotoxins. for human consumption. largely remain where it was produced, which is ples above legal limits for DON were identified lum in the spring.
the elimination of the mycotoxins.
Unfortunately, the project identified that Growers consider that if grain is sold as feed mainly in the bran fraction.
the fusarium mycotoxins concentration is highly wheat then it is destined for animal feed and Results from the 2008 harvest agreed with T5X powerful antioxidants inhibit free
dependent on weather with rainfall at key does not require a fusarium risk assessment or previous findings that DON is produced in early Related companies radicals and prevent cells' membrane
growth stages of the crop being critical. The mycotoxin test. summer during Fusarium head blight infection from degradation.
Calibre Control
In reality, if the grower does not know the and ZON is produced in late summer as the 5-6 Asher Court Lyncastle T5X stimulates the non specific immune
Good Agricultural Practice to intended end use, he should not assume it is crop ripens. Way, Appleton, Warrington, system to strengthen animals
reduce fusarium mycotoxins for animal feed; “feed wheat” in the grain trade This results in a change in the mycotoxin WA4 4ST, United Kingdom
is used as a quality specification rather than a profile depending on when in the summer we Tel: +44 1925 860401
- Use Fusarium resistant varieties
defined end-use. have rainfall. Email: info@calibrecontrol.com
- Avoid maize as previous crop Web: www.calibrecontrol.com
A wet delayed harvest results in a greater
- Plough to bury crop debris; if using Robust molecules increase in ZON than DON. In this scenario, Perstorp Performance Additives
min-till, chop/mix as much as possible Fusarium mycotoxins, DON and ZON are as experienced in 2004 and 2008, we have Industrieweg 8
- Use a high rate of a recommended robust molecules and there is very little reduc- more wheat exceeding the ZON limit than the Waspik, 5165 NH
head blight fungicide at correct tion during processing, even with high tempera- DON limit. The 2008 was the worst wet harvest The Netherlands Additives & difference
timing (early flowering) tures for example, baking. experienced for many years and we had close Tel: +31 416 317700
Fax: +31 416 316698
- Avoid lodging and harvest delays The main reduction achieved during processing to 30 percent of the harvested UK wheat crop a brand of the B.P. 394 - 56 009 VANNES Cedex - FRANCE
Email: info@perstorpfeed.com
is partitioning during cleaning and milling. Higher exceeded the legal limit of 100ppb ZON. This Web: www.perstorpfeed.com group Neovia@evls.net
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