Co-occurrence of nivalenol, deoxynivalenol and deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside in beer samples.

In this study, 100 samples of beer available on the Polish market have been HPLC-analysed for the occurrence of mycotoxins: nivalenol, deoxynivalenol and deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside. Fractions of positive beer samples were 56, 83 and 67% for nivalenol, deoxnivalenol and deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside, respectively. Mean concentrations of the analytes found in the beer samples were (all data in μg/L): 2.4 ± 1.9 (range 0.5–7.6), 9.0 ± 12.7 (range 1.0–73.6), 9.2 ± 7.5 (range 2.0–35.8) for nivalenol, deoxynivalenol and deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside, respectively. Higher concentrations of deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside than deoxynivalenol found in many beer samples reflect the activity of glucosyltransferase enzymes during the grain malting process when they assist secondary biosynthesis of deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside. From the toxicological point of view, the above mycotoxin levels found in beer may be regarded as safely low. The vast majority of the samples contained deoxynivalenol. The deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside co-occurring with deoxynivalenol from the point of view of food safety can increase the toxicological hazard. Mycotoxins in beer available on the Polish market have not been earlier reported at all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]