Determination of Deoxynivalenol in Cereal-Based Foods and Estimation of Dietary Exposure

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a trichothecene mycotoxin. DON contamination in agricultural food staples such as wheat, barley, and maize due to Fusarium colonization is an increasing problem. In order to provide risk managers with better guidance for regulatory measures, the concentration of DON in cereal-based foods (n = 689), collected from six cities between June 2005 and August 2008, was determined. Further, dietary exposure to DON was estimated by combining data on DON concentration in these foods with their consumption rates. Among 689 samples, 272 samples (39%) were contaminated with DON. Relatively high DON concentrations were found in dried corn, with a mean concentration of 109 microg/kg (n = 74). Daily intake of DON simulated by the @Risk program was estimated to between 0.066 and 0.142 microg/kg body weight (bw)/d for males and between 0.066 and 0.144 microg/kg bw/d for females. The major contributor to DON exposure in the 50th and 95th percentile intake groups was polished rice. For each age class, young children (3-6 yr) showed the highest relative intake, with a mean intake of 0.142 microg/kg bw/d for males and 0.144 microg/kg bw/d for females. However, the estimated daily DON intake did not exceed the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (1 microg/kg bw/d) for any age group or gender. From our risk assessment, it was concluded that the current intake of DON in South Korea may not serve as a serious health hazard.