Transfer of Fusarium mycotoxins from malt to boiled wort

Malting was simulated using two different batches of barley as raw material: a naturally contaminated batch and laboratory inoculated (with a deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA) producing Fusarium graminearum strain) one. Up to three contamination levels were prepared, every process being carried out in triplicate. A significant washout effect on DON was observed by the end of the first water phase (between 22.4 and 34 % reduction) with an even more pronounced reduction (up to 75 % decrease) by the end of the steeping process. ZEA content remained almost unchanged (no significant difference between the initial and the final concentration). Germination was characterized by an increase…