THE STABILITY OF DEOXYNIVALENOL AND 3-ACETYL DEOXYNIVALENOL TO GAMMA-IRRADIATION

The stability of deoxynivalenol and 3-acetyl deoxynivalenol to irradia tion by Co-60-gamma radiation under various conditions was investigate d. Deoxynivalenol and 3-acetyl deoxynivalenol were irradiated on maize , in aqueous solution and in the dry state. Breakdown of the toxins wa s monitored by high performance liquid chromatography. Both deoxynival enol and 3-acetyl deoxynivalenol were more sensitive to irradiation wh en irradiated in aqueous solution than when irradiated on maize. Break down of deoxynivalenol and 3-acetyl deoxynivalenol in aqueous solution began at 1 kGy and 5 kGy respectively and both toxins were completely destroyed by 50 kGy. When irradiated on maize, breakdown of the toxin s only began after irradiation to 20 kGy and 80 - 90% of the toxins re mained after irradiation to 50 kGy. Irradiation of the toxins did not cause the formation of new compounds of increased toxicity to baby ham ster kidney cells. Both DON and 3-A DON were stable to irradiation to 50 kGy when irradiated in the dry condition. The use of low dose gamma irradiation to destroy preformed toxins present on grain does not app ear to be a suitable method for the detoxification of grain contaminat ed with deoxynivalenol and 3-acetyl deoxynivalenol because of the high irradiation dose that would be required for their destruction (>50 kG y).