Moniliformin in Norwegian grain

Abstract

Norwegian grain samples (73 oats, 75 barley, 83 wheat) from the 2000–02 growing seasons were examined for contamination with moniliformin, and the association between the fungal metabolite and the number of kernels infected with common Fusaria was investigated. Before quantification of moniliformin using ion pairing reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array ultraviolet light detection, all samples were extracted using acetonitrile/water (84/16) and disposable strong anion exchange columns used for clean up. The limit of detection was 40 μg kg⁻¹. Moniliformin was found in 25, 32 and 76% of the barley, oats and wheat samples, respectively. The maximum concentrations of moniliformin in barley, oats and wheat were 380, 210 and 950 μg kg⁻¹, respectively. At the same time, the prevalence and infection level of the moniliformin-producing F. avenaceum/arthrosporioides was as high as 100 and >53% on average, respectively. Moniliformin concentrations were significantly correlated to the variables grain species, growing season and infection with F. avenaceum/arthrosporioides and F. culmorum. The survey indicates that the prevalence of moniliformin in Norwegian grain is high, especially in wheat. On the other hand, field conditions in Norway do not seem to favour contamination of grain with high levels of moniliformin.

Keywords:

• food
• Fusarium
• high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
• mycotoxin
• validation

Acknowledgements

The contribution of the late Dr Wenche Langseth to the initiation of the project is thankfully acknowledged. The project was supported financially by the Norwegian Research Council and the Public Food Authorities. Professor Alistair Wilkins, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand, Dr Arne Flåøyen and Dr Tone Asp are acknowledged for help and valuable comments during the writing of the paper, and Professor Ulf Thrane and Kristian Fog Nielsen, Biocentrum, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, are thanked for help in metabolite screening of the strains of F. avenaceum and F. arthrosporioides during a stay at the Biocentrum.

Notes

§ Present address: Institute for Environmental Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1115, NL-1081HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

R. Krska

§ Present address: Institute for Environmental Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1115, NL-1081HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.