Annual Project Report 2013 Monitoring of mycotoxins and other contaminants in UK cereals used in malting, milling and animal feed Project number Start date Project aim and objectives
To survey levels of key contaminants in commercial samples of UK-grown wheat, barley and oats
and co-products wheatfeed and oatfeed destined for milling, malt production, and animal feed to
ensure they are safe and meet legal compliance guideline limits.
Key messages emerging from the project
Samples of stored 2012 harvest milling wheat, feed wheat, feed barley, feed oats, wheatfeed and
oatfeed were analysed for fusarium mycotoxins, ochratoxin A (OTA) and pesticide residues.
Selected samples from the 2013 harvest were analysed for mycotoxins, ergot alkaloids, dioxins,
plant growth regulators and glyphosate. • There is a significant reduction in the incidence and level of deoxynivalenol (DON) and
zearalenone (ZON) in wheat for 2013 compared to 2012. No samples exceeded MRL.
Incidence and levels of DON in barley were very similar to 2012. DON incidence increased in
2013 feed oat samples. No MRL were exceeded for barley and oats.
• Low incidence and residue levels of HT2 + T2 in milling wheat were comparable to 2012
levels. Incidence in malting barley increased from 3% to 41% in 2013. Oats and oatfeed
incidence in 2013 was very similar to 2012 levels. The mean and maximum HT2+T2 values for
• 13% of stored 2012 milling wheat samples contained detectable levels of OTA, with one
sample exceeding the MRL. Stored malting barley samples showed a higher incidence of
contamination (36%) than the wheat samples. 30% of all 2012 harvest samples contained
detectable levels of ergot alkaloids. Multiple ergot alkaloids are common in all sample types.
Ergosine is the most common alkaloid in milling wheat. Ergotamine is the most frequently
occurring alkaloid in wheatfeed, feed wheat and oatfeed.
• The majority of the stored samples had no detectable residues of insecticides. Residues of all
detectable insecticides are well within MRLs. 95% of milling wheat samples analysed
contained chlormequat. All residues for PGRs and glyphosate were within MRLs.
Summary of results from the reporting year Fusarium toxins
• Processing of the stored malting barleys had little or no effect on DON and ZON levels. The
results imply that very little HT2 and T2 persist into the finished malt.
• DON was less prevalent and present at much lower levels in milling wheat in 2013 than in
The results described in this summary report are interim and relate to one year. In all cases, the reports refer to projects that extend over a number of years.
While the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, operating throµgh its HGCA division, seeks to ensure that the information contained within this document is accurate at the time of printing, no warranty is given in respect thereof and, to the maximum extent permitted by law, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board accepts no liability for loss, damage or injury howsoever caused (including that caused by negligence) or suffered directly or indirectly in relation to information and opinions contained in or omitted from this document. Reference herein to trade names and proprietary products without stating that they are protected does not imply that they may be regarded as unprotected and thus free for general use. No endorsement of named products is intended, nor is any criticism implied of other alternative, but unnamed, products.
HGCA is the cereals and oilseeds division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.
Annual Project Report 2013
2012. Incidence in wheat derived feed samples was 100%, though the levels were reduced.
Table 1. Fusarium toxins in stored barley and malted barley (2012 harvest)
Stored barley and prepared malt % > LOD Mean level Median level Maximum level DON – barley (malt) HT2 + T2 – barley (malt) ZON – barley (malt)
• Incidence and levels in freshly harvested malting barley showed little obvious difference
between 2013 and 2012 samples. Levels and incidence in feed barley increased in 2013
harvested samples. DON incidence in oat samples increased in 2013 samples; maximum
Table 2. Fusarium toxins in 2013 freshly harvested wheat samples
Milling wheat Wheatfeed Feed wheat
• The highest levels of HT-2 and T-2 were more commonly found in oat samples and, to a lesser
extent in barley samples, than in wheat samples. Mean levels for all samples (except oatfeed,
which doubled) were similar in the two years. ZON levels in wheat, barley and oat-derived
samples in 2013 were lower than in 2012.
Table 3. Fusarium toxins in 2013 freshly harvested barley samples
Malting barley Feed barley % > LOD Mean level Maximum level % > LOD Mean level Maximum level
Table 4. Fusarium toxins in 2013 freshly harvested oat samples
Feed oats % > LOD Mean level Maximum level % > LOD Mean level Maximum level
The results described in this summary report are interim and relate to one year. In all cases, the reports refer to projects that extend over a number of years.
While the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, operating throµgh its HGCA division, seeks to ensure that the information contained within this document is accurate at the time of printing, no warranty is given in respect thereof and, to the maximum extent permitted by law, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board accepts no liability for loss, damage or injury howsoever caused (including that caused by negligence) or suffered directly or indirectly in relation to information and opinions contained in or omitted from this document. Reference herein to trade names and proprietary products without stating that they are protected does not imply that they may be regarded as unprotected and thus free for general use. No endorsement of named products is intended, nor is any criticism implied of other alternative, but unnamed, products.
HGCA is the cereals and oilseeds division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.
Annual Project Report 2013 Ochratoxin A
• The majority of samples taken after several months’ storage contained little
(<1µg/kg) or no detectable OTA. One sample of milling wheat and one sample of malting barley exceeded the MRL. The mean levels were, in some instances, skewed by a single high result. Excluding wheatfeed and oatfeed samples, median levels of OTA were at or below the reporting level.
Table 5. Ochratoxin A in stored samples (2012 harvest) *MRL = 5 µg/kg % > LOD Mean level Median level level µg/kg Stored milling wheat Stored feed wheat Stored wheatfeed Stored malting barley Malt from stored barley Stored feed barley Stored oats Stored oatfeed Agrochemicals
The majority of stored grain samples contained very little or no detectable pesticide residues.
Pirimiphos-methyl was the frequently detected insecticide. All residues were well within MRL. The
most commonly detected agrochemical residues were plant growth regulators (PGR) and
glyphosate determined in 2013 milling wheat samples. 95% of milling wheat samples analysed
contained chlormequat. All PGRs and glyphosate residues were within MRL.
Table 6. Growth Regulators and Glyphosate in 2013 Harvest Milling Wheat Samples
Chlormequat (µg/kg) Mepiquat (µg/kg) Glyphosate (µg/kg) Incidence Incidence Incidence Ergot alkaloids
30% of all 2012 harvest samples analysed contained detectable levels of ergot alkaloids. Multiple
ergot alkaloids (and epimers) are common in all contaminated sample types. Ergosine is the most
common alkaloid determined in milling wheat. Ergotamine is the most frequently occurring alkaloid
in wheatfeed, feed wheat and oatfeed. We are currently awaiting Home Office approval to
purchase the ergot alkaloid reference standards required for the analysis of samples. All 2013
harvest samples will be analysed for ergot alkaloids.
The results described in this summary report are interim and relate to one year. In all cases, the reports refer to projects that extend over a number of years.
While the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, operating throµgh its HGCA division, seeks to ensure that the information contained within this document is accurate at the time of printing, no warranty is given in respect thereof and, to the maximum extent permitted by law, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board accepts no liability for loss, damage or injury howsoever caused (including that caused by negligence) or suffered directly or indirectly in relation to information and opinions contained in or omitted from this document. Reference herein to trade names and proprietary products without stating that they are protected does not imply that they may be regarded as unprotected and thus free for general use. No endorsement of named products is intended, nor is any criticism implied of other alternative, but unnamed, products.
HGCA is the cereals and oilseeds division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.
Annual Project Report 2013
Table 7. Ergot Alkaloids in 2012 Harvest Samples
% > LOD Single Ergot Multiple Ergot Maximum level Contamination % Contamination % (combined total) µg/kg Milling wheat Feed wheat Wheatfeed Feed Oats Key issues to be addressed in the next year Representative sample sets of milling wheat, feed wheat, feed barley, feed oats, wheatfeed and oatfeed, stored for several months after the 2013 harvest, will be collected and analysed for selected mycotoxins and pesticides. A representative sample set of malting barleys, and of the malts produced from these barleys, will be analysed similarly. Lead partner Scientific partners Industry partners Government sponsor Has your project featured in any of the following in the last year? Events Press articles Conference presentations, papers or posters Scientific papers Oats: exploiting the benefits and
overcoming the challenges. 31 October – 01 November 2013, Campden BRI. Other Fusarium Forum, March 2013, Brussels.
The results described in this summary report are interim and relate to one year. In all cases, the reports refer to projects that extend over a number of years.
While the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, operating throµgh its HGCA division, seeks to ensure that the information contained within this document is accurate at the time of printing, no warranty is given in respect thereof and, to the maximum extent permitted by law, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board accepts no liability for loss, damage or injury howsoever caused (including that caused by negligence) or suffered directly or indirectly in relation to information and opinions contained in or omitted from this document. Reference herein to trade names and proprietary products without stating that they are protected does not imply that they may be regarded as unprotected and thus free for general use. No endorsement of named products is intended, nor is any criticism implied of other alternative, but unnamed, products.
HGCA is the cereals and oilseeds division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.
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