Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of several mycotoxins produced by certain
Fusarium species that frequently infect wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley and
other grains in the field or during storage. DON affects animal and human
health causing vomiting, acute temporary nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain,
headache, dizziness and fever. The objective of this study was to evaluate
the natural occurrence of deoxynivalenol (DON) in white wheat flour, whole
wheat flour and wheat bran. In this study, a total of 75 white wheat flour,
whole wheat flour and wheat bran samples were collected in the period of
2016-2017. All samples were analyzed for DON by enzymelinked immunosorbent
assay. DON was detected in 23 out of 45 white wheat flour samples (51.11%),
at levels ranging from 99 ?g/kg to 440 ?g/kg. Out of 15 whole wheat flour
samples, 14 were contaminated by DON (93.33%), at levels ranging from 98
?g/kg to 479 ?g/kg. The maximum contamination level of DON (2,790 ?g/kg) in
this study was found in wheat bran. Presence of DON was detected in all 15
samples of wheat bran (100%). These results suggest a high percentage of
contaminated samples, especially among wheat bran samples, which raises a
risk for consumers of wheat bran and the need to monitor final products
before consumption.