3.3. Fusarium mycotoxins in UK malting barley 2007 to 2011
The results from the mycotoxin quantification by LC/MS/MS of a
total of 143 samples from 2007 to 2009 and selected samples of 2010
(35) and 2011 (45) are presented in Table 2 as mean value, 95th percentile and maximum value. DON, ZON and NIV predominated in the
samples collected between 2007 and 2009, however only one sample
exceeded the legislative limits of DON of 1250 ppb. No samples
exceeded the proposed indicative limit for HT-2 and T-2 of 200 ppb in
unprocessed barley. The highest concentration of NIV (1089 ppb) was
found in 2011. High ZON concentrations were seen in samples from
2007 to 2008 and 2009. However, it should be noted that these samples
were selected retrospectively based on their known mycotoxin content
(including DON) and were not randomly collected as in the years of
2010 and 2011. In 2007 four (33%) samples exceeded the legislative
limits of 100 ppb. In 2008 and in 2009 eleven (37%) and four (19%)
samples respectively exceeded the limits for ZON. All samples in 2010
and 2011 had ZON concentrations below legislative limits.