Deoxynivalenol and ochratoxin A in German wheat and changes of level in relation to storage parameters

The occurrence of the mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and ochratoxin A (OTA ) in the winter wheat of 1997 and 1998 grown under organic farming conditio ns was investigated using ELISAs (R-Biopharm(R)) for quantification. The in fluence of delayed drying of the grain after harvest on the development of DON and OTA was determined in storage trials (moisture: 17% and 20%; temper ature: 20 degreesC; duration: four and six weeks). The Tox5 PCR assay was u sed both to detect Fusarium species with the potential to produce trichothe cenes and as a measure of their relative DNA content during the storage tri als. The intensity of the PCR signals was correlated with the DON concentra tion. Fusarium species were identified microscopically by standard methods. All the freshly harvested grain samples were contaminated with DON and sho wed further increases in the DON concentration during storage. OTA contamin ation was found in 14.3% of the 1997 samples and in 24.1% of the 1998 sampl es. OTA increased during storage trials of the 1997 samples but not in the 1998 samples.