[Grain contamination by deoxynivalenol in Russia]

Deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination of fresh harvested grain (570 samples of wheat and barley harvested in 1990-1992) and food grain crops (468 samples of wheat, rye, barley from different regions of the Russian Federation) was examined for frequency and degree. DON was detected in 70% of the fresh harvested wheat, exceeding MPC in 26% of the samples and in 67% of the stored barley samples, exceeding MTL in 14%. In 1992 100% of the harvested wheat from fusariosis natural habitat were contaminated exceeding MPC in 92%. Out of 314 samples of food wheat, 29% contained DON in quantities exceeding MTL in 14%. 11% of food barley and 8% of food rye samples contained DON within MTL. Maximum quantities of contaminated wheat were produced in the North-Caucasian regions (66% of the contaminated samples) or were imported (21%). Contaminated wheat was used most frequently in the North-Caucasian region and Central regions (56% and 30% of the contaminated samples, respectively).