NATURAL OCCURRENCE OF FUSARIUM MYCOTOXINS IN POLISH CEREALS

About 200 field samples of naturally contaminated wheat, barley and oa ts were collected during two years (1994, 1995) and analyzed on tricho thecene mycotoxins presence. Wheat kernels were contaminated at the av erage contamination level (mu g/kg) : DON - 51 (65% of positive sample s); NIV - 55 (43%); 3-AcDON - 15 (38%); T-2 - 17 (7%) and HT-2 - 16 (4 %). All wheat kernels with visible symptoms of scab (average 17 % of k ernels infected with Fusarium) the following amounts (mu g/kg) of toxi c metabolites were found : DON 9628; NIV 57; 3-AcDON 457; 15-AcDON 265 ; T-2 33; HT-2 49 (50%). Barley kernels exhibited contamination with t richothecene mycotoxins : DON 120 (91%); NIV 53 (72%); 3-AcDON 20 (19% ); 15-AcDON 16 (22%); T-2 38 (62%); HT-2 49 (50%), while oats with : D ON 69 (79%); NIV 56 (93%); 3-AcDON 19 (50%); 15-AcDON 15 (57%); FUS-X 52 (36%); T-2 110 (50%); HT-2 192 (42%). The above result indicate on wide presence of group B trichothecenes in kernels of cereals (mainly oats) in Poland.