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BACKGROUND: Maize is frequently contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisins B1 (FB1) and B2 (FB2). In the European Union, these mycotoxins are regulated in maize and maize‐derived products. To comply with these regulations, industries require a fast, economic, safe, non‐destructive and environmentally friendly analysis method. RESULTS: In the present study, near‐infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR‐HSI) was used to develop regression and classification models for DON, FB1 and FB2 in maize kernels. The best regression models presented the following root mean square error of cross validation and ratio of performance to deviation values: 0.848 mg kg−1 and 2.344 (DON), 3.714 mg kg−1 and 2.018 (FB1) and 2.104 mg kg−1 and 2.301 (FB2). Regarding classification, European Union legal limits for DON and FB1 + FB2 were selected as thresholds to classify maize kernels as acceptable or not. The sensitivity and specificity were 0.778 and 1 for the best DON classification model and 0.607 and 0.938 for the best FB1 + FB2 classification model. CONCLUSION: NIR‐HSI can help reduce DON and fumonisins contamination in the maize food and feed chain. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enniatin B (ENNB) is a mycotoxin produced by moulds from the Fusarium genera and its toxic effects are still not fully elucidated, hence a safe reference exposure value has not been established yet. ENNB is the most prevalent emerging mycotoxin and is widely found in cereal-based products, nevertheless, there are no comprehensive exposure assessment studies. For that reason, the aim of this study was to characterise the occurrence of ENNB and estimate the exposure of the Spanish and Catalan populations. A total of 347 cereal-based products were collected in 2019 and were analysed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Consumption data were obtained from the national food consumption surveys (ENALIA) and a regional survey conducted in Catalonia. The global exposure was estimated using deterministic and probabilistic methods. The results showed a high occurrence of close to 100% in all foodstuffs, with a range from 6 to 269 µg/kg, and a strong correlation with the levels of deoxynivalenol. Children aged one–nine years were the most exposed, showing mean estimates in the range 308–324 ng/kg bw/day and 95th percentiles 697–781 ng/kg bw/day. This study stresses the need for further toxicological data to establish reference doses and conclude formal risk assessment, accounting for the co-occurrence with deoxynivalenol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agronomic factors can affect mycotoxin contamination of maize, one of the most produced cereals. Maize is usually harvested at 18% moisture, but it is not microbiologically stable until it reaches 14% moisture at the drying plants. We studied how three agronomic factors (crop diversification, tillage system and nitrogen fertilization rate) can affect fungal and mycotoxin contamination (deoxynivalenol and fumonisins B1 and B2) in maize at harvest. In addition, changes in maize during a simulated harvest-till-drying period were studied. DON content at harvest was higher for maize under intensive tillage than using direct drilling (2695 and 474 μg kg−1, respectively). We found two reasons for this: (i) soil crusting in intensive tillage plots caused the formation of pools of water that created high air humidity conditions, favouring the development of DON-producing moulds; (ii) the population of Lumbricus terrestris, an earthworm that would indirectly minimize fungal infection and mycotoxin production on maize kernels, is reduced in intensive tillage plots. Therefore, direct drilling is a better approach than intensive tillage for both preventing DON contamination and preserving soil quality. Concerning the simulated harvest-till-drying period, DON significantly increased between storage days 0 and 5. Water activity dropped on the 4th day, below the threshold for DON production (around 0.91). From our perspective, this study constitutes a step forward towards understanding the relationships between agronomic factors and mycotoxin contamination in maize, and towards improving food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deoxynivalenol (DON) remains one of the most concerning mycotoxins produced by the Fusarium genus due to the wide occurrence in highly consumed cereal-based food and its associated toxicological effects. Previous studies conducted in Spain and other European countries suggested that some vulnerable groups such as children could be exceeding the tolerable daily intakes. Thus, the aim of this study was to conduct a comprehensive and updated dietary exposure assessment study in Spain, with a specific analysis in the region of Catalonia. Cereal-based food samples collected during 2019 were analysed using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry for multi-mycotoxin detection including DON and its main metabolites and derivatives. Consumption data were gathered from the nation-wide food surveys ENALIA and ENALIA2 conducted in Spain, and a specific survey conducted in Catalonia. The data were combined using deterministic and semi-parametric probabilistic methods. The results showed that DON was widely present in cereal-based food highly consumed in Spain and the Catalonia region. Exposure to DON among the adult population was globally low; however, among infants aged 3–9 years, it resulted in the median of 192 ng/kg body weight/day and the 95th percentiles of 604 ng/kg body weight/day, that would exceed the most conservative safety threshold for infants. Bread and pasta were the main contributing foodstuffs to the global exposure to DON, even among infants; thus, those foods should be considered a priority for food control or to develop strategies to reduce the exposure. In any case, further toxicological and epidemiological studies are required in order to refine the safety thresholds accounting for the sensitivity of the infant population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most common mycotoxins of cereals worldwide, and its occurrence has been widely reported in raw wheat. The free mycotoxin form is not the only route of exposure; modified forms can also be present in cereal products. Deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (DON-3-glucoside) is a common DON plant conjugate. The mycotoxin concentration could be affected by food processing; here, we studied the stability of DON and DON-3-glucoside during baking of small doughs made from white wheat flour and other ingredients. A range of common food additives and ingredients were added to assess possible interference: ascorbic acid (E300), citric acid (E330), sorbic acid (E200), calcium propionate (E282), lecithin (E322), diacetyltartaric acid esters of fatty acid mono- and diglycerides (E472a), calcium phosphate (E341), disodium diphosphate (E450i), xanthan gum (E415), polydextrose (E1200), sorbitol (E420i), sodium bicarbonate (E500i), wheat gluten and malt flour. The DON content was reduced by 40%, and the DON-3-glucoside concentration increased by >100%, after baking for 20 min at 180°C. This confirmed that DON and DON-3-glucoside concentrations can vary during heating, and DON-3-glucoside could even increase after baking. However, DON and DON-3-glucoside are not affected significantly by the presence of the food additives tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most frequently occurring mycotoxins in wheat crops worldwide and poses a risk to human and animal health due to its wide range of adverse effects. Deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (DON-3-glucoside) is a DON plant conjugate that is widely found in cereal products. As DON accumulation in the field seems unavoidable, it is important to investigate all of the conditions that affect its stability during food processing. One of the most consumed cereal product around the world is bread, however the published information about DON stability in bread shows a large variability of results because a huge amount of factors affect DON and its modified forms. So, the aim of this research was to study the fate of DON and its modified forms through the breadmaking process with the addition of xylanase and α-amylase at different fermentation temperatures. Moreover, different α-amylase and xylanase concentrations were added to the dough to be fermented. To quantify DON and its derived forms in the samples, liquid chromatography with double mass spectrophotometer was used. DON was reduced during fermentation and baking; however, the reduction at each step was related to the fermentation temperature. The presence of α-amylase and xylanase caused increases in DON during fermentation and during early baking. DON-3-glucoside was slightly reduced after fermentation and was widely increased (> 80%) after baking. Deepoxy-deoxynivalenol (DOM-1) increased during the breadmaking process. Breadmaking process can reduce DON concentration, however xylanase and α-amylase presence cause increases of DON. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of deoxynivalenol (DON), deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (DON-3-glucoside), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-ADON), de-epoxy-deoxynivalenol (DOM-1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) during thermal processing has been studied. Baking temperature, time and initial mycotoxin concentration in the raw materials were assayed as factors. An improved UPLC–MS/MS method to detect DON, DON-3-glucoside, 3-ADON, 15-ADON and DOM-1 in wheat baked products was developed in the present assay. The results highlighted the importance of temperature and time in mycotoxin stability in heat treatments. OTA is more stable than DON in a baking treatment. Interestingly, the DON-3-glucoside concentrations increased (>300%) under mild baking conditions. On the other hand, it was rapidly reduced under harsh conditions. The 3-ADON decreased during the heat treatment; while DOM-1 increased after the heating process. Finally, the data followed first order kinetics for analysed mycotoxins and thermal constant rates ( k ) were calculated. This parameter can be a useful tool for prediction of mycotoxin levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goals of the present work were, on the one hand, to assess the effect of baking on the stability of zearalenone (ZEA) and deoxynivalenol (DON), as well as the transfer of DON from pasta to boiling water, and, on the other hand, to quantify the impact of DON depletion, during cooking of pasta, on overall exposure estimates. Therefore, the bread-making process was simulated on a pilot-plant scale by using naturally contaminated flour with DON and ZEA. Transfer of DON from pasta to water was evaluated at different boiling times. Pasta was prepared on a pilot-plant scale by using naturally contaminated durum wheat flour; subsequently, it was boiled simulating home cooking. The experiments examined the stability of DON and ZEA during the bread-making process, including fermentation withSaccharomyces cerevisiaeand baking at 200°C. Our results showed a high transfer of DON from pasta to boiling water, reaching depletion levels of almost 75%, which correlated with levels found in water. Accordingly, these cooking depletion rates were computed through a stochastic exposure model to weight their impact on the final exposure estimates. Finally, statistically significant differences were found in most of the parameters and populations assessed, but these were not enough to consider the process as protective because the contribution of pasta to the overall DON intake was commonly low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of deoxynivalenol (DON) and deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (DON-3-glucoside) during the breadmaking process was studied. Some enzymes used in the bakery industry were examined to evaluate their effects on DON and DON-3-glucoside. The level of DON in breads without added enzymes was reduced (17–21%). Similarly, the addition of cellulase, protease, lipase and glucose-oxidase did not modify this decreasing trend. The effect of xylanase and α-amylase on DON content depended on the fermentation temperature. These enzymes reduced the DON content by 10–14% at 45 °C. In contrast, at 30 °C, these enzymes increased the DON content by 13–23%. DON-3-glucoside levels decreased at the end of fermentation, with a final reduction of 19–48% when no enzymes were used. However, the presence of xylanase, α-amylase, cellulase and lipase resulted in bread with greater quantities of DON-3-glucoside when fermentation occurred at 30 °C. The results showed that wheat bran and flour may contain hidden DON that may be enzymatically released during the breadmaking process when the fermentation temperature is close to 30 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of deoxynivalenol (DON), deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (DON-3-glucoside) and ochratoxin A (OTA) during spaghetti production and cooking was investigated. Initial mycotoxin concentration, boiling time and use of egg as ingredient were assayed as factors. DON was stable during kneading and drying, but a consistent reduction of DON (> 40%) was observed in boiled spaghettis. According to our results, DON was transferred to broth, where it was not degraded, and boiling time determined the extent of the transfer. A DON leaching model was fitted to data with a high goodness of fit (r 2 = 0.99). This model can be used for prediction of final DON concentration in cooked pasta, and a useful tool in risk assessment models. DON-3-glucoside is totally stable through the pasta making process; moreover DON-3-glucoside is slightly released from pasta components and it is leached to broth. Similarly, OTA is also stable during pasta making; however, it is scarcely transferred to broth during boiling. The presence of egg as ingredient did not affect the final mycotoxin concentration in pasta in any case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The fate of deoxynivalenol (DON) and ochratoxin A (OTA) during the breadmaking process was studied. In particular, toxin content was analysed in mixed baking ingredients before kneading, after fermentation and proofing, and finally after baking. Fermentation and proofing were carried out at 30 °C for 1 h, while baking was performed at different temperature levels (from 170 to 210 °C) and baking times from 45 to 135 min, in a full factorial design. DON increased from unkneaded mix to fermented dough, and decreased due to baking; this trend depended on the initial concentration of DON in the flour. The level in the bread was significantly lower than in the initial mix of ingredients. In contrast, deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (DON-3-G) content increased both during kneading and fermentation, and also during baking. Moreover, the results confirmed the high stability of OTA as no significant change in its content could be observed as a result of the breadmaking process. As conclusion, the design of bakery product processes may help to control DON in final products, because although quite stable, its levels can be reduced to some extent. However, high levels of DON-3-G were released during baking, and this point should be further investigated. Mycotoxins have been always considered as stable compounds; however, in depth knowledge of the processing steps that may lead to some reduction (although limited) and those which can stimulate their release from conjugated forms, will definitely help in their control in finished foodstuffs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the highest occurring mycotoxin of Fusarium species. Its presence in cereal-based infant foods is extremely undesirable, especially considering the increased sensitivity of this population group to toxins. There are various studies on the influence of processing operations on DON and its conjugated levels in raw materials, however there is no available publication on baby food production process impact on DON. According to the available studies on the occurrence of DON and its conjugates in cereal-based infant food, it often occurs above the legally allowed limit, thus there is a need to study the influence of production processes on its evolution from raw materials to the final product. The available studies suggest that there are two production steps with a significant impact on DON concentration, namely enzymatic hydrolysis, which leads to its increase due to the release of the toxin from the cereal matrix, and drum drying, which might decrease DON concentration thanks to the high temperatures employed and highly efficient temperature penetration into the product. Highlights • DON is the most occurring Fusarium mycotoxin in oats, wheat and barley. • DON levels in several cereal-based baby food exceeding legal limits were found. • Cereal species and nature of contamination define the efficacy of DON reduction. • Enzymatic hydrolysis lead to an increase in DON levels. • Drum drying may result in a decrease in DON concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • DON increased up to 150% during mashing. • Important reduction of DON (60%), ZEA (99%) and fumonisins (90%) after the first 30 min of wort boiling. • DON and FB1 were not completely reduced in none of the samples. Abstract The fate of deoxynivalenol, deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside, 3- and 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, α- and β-zearalenol and fumonisins (fumonisin B 1 and fumonisin B 2) through mashing and wort boiling was studied. Three different mycotoxin contamination scenarios were considered. In almost all samples an increase in the level of mycotoxins in wort was observed during mashing followed by a decrease after just 30 min of the process, with levels remaining constant until the end of boiling. Deoxynivalenol and its metabolites were reduced to their initial level contained in the malt before mashing, or even lower, however in none of the samples they were completely eliminated. Zearalenone was not quantitated at the end of boiling, although there was a significant initial level of ZEN. β-Zearalenol remained unaltered during the process. Fumonisins were reduced by between 50 and 100 per cent during mashing and boiling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Malting was simulated using two different batches of barley as raw material: a naturally contaminated batch and laboratory inoculated (with a deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA) producing Fusarium graminearum strain) one. Up to three contamination levels were prepared, every process being carried out in triplicate. A significant washout effect on DON was observed by the end of the first water phase (between 22.4 and 34% reduction) with an even more pronounced reduction (up to 75% decrease) by the end of the steeping process. ZEA content remained almost unchanged (no significant difference between the initial and the final concentration). Germination was characterized by an increase in all the three toxins (ZEA, DON and DON-3-G) concentrations, however showing a decreasing trend in the last 24 h of the stage, compared to the first day of germination. Kilning lead to a significant reduction of DON in the naturally contaminated batch (46.6 and 78.8%), nevertheless an increase in all other toxins and contamination levels was observed. Highlights • Study of the DON, DON-3-G and ZEA concentrations' change during malting. • Impact of the initial mycotoxins level on concentration changes during the process. • Malting leads to a reduction in all the studied mycotoxins. • Kilning process does not destroy the studied mycotoxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multianalyte method, using a MS/MS detector, was applied for a simultaneous determination of 23 mycotoxins in 64 beer products purchased from the supermarket in Lleida, Spain. The samples varied by their origin, brewing technology, alcohol content, etc. The results showed that 20.3% of the tested samples were mycotoxin contaminated overpassing the limit of detection (LOD). None of the alcohol-free samples (17%) were contaminated with mycotoxins. The most frequently occurring toxin was zearalenone (ZEN), being quantified in 65% of the positive samples, with levels ranging from 8.24 to 62.96 μg/L. Regarding the co-occurrence of mycotoxins, three samples were found to contain two or more mycotoxins simultaneously. A deterministic approach was used to evaluate the contribution of beer consumption to daily intake and the proportion of the established tolerable daily intake (TDI) for ZEN and deoxynivalenol (DON) and its metabolite deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (DON-3-G). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aflatoxins (AFs), deoxynivalenol (DON), ochratoxin A (OTA) and zearalenone (ZEA) are mycotoxins produced by fungal species which can contaminate, alone or simultaneously, cereal-based raw materials. Usually, the higher mycotoxins concentrations in cereals are found in the external layers of the grain (bran). Nowadays bran is increasingly consumed for its high fibre concentration. The objectives of this study were determining the concentration of these mycotoxins in bran samples intended for direct human consumption and to study the influence of some characteristics of the samples that may affect the mycotoxins content, there are not studies about fibre for direct human consumption. 67 bran samples from shops and supermarkets from two different Spanish cities were analyzed, being 37 samples of wheat bran and the remaining of oat bran. The results showed a major presence of DON in the analyzed samples, with levels above the EU legislation in some samples. Presence of DON was more frequent in wheat samples, compared to oats ones (p <0.05). Extruded or toasted samples, subjected to a heat treatment during processing, presented a significantly lower concentration of OTA, and differences between the organically and conventionally produced samples were also detected in OTA, which showed higher levels in the organic samples. Co-occurrence was frequently found between the Fusarium mycotoxins (ZEA and DON). Due to the high levels of DON in the analyzed samples, a calculation of DON intake has been made and it has been demonstrated that bran can account for an important percentage of DON exposure in the total diet. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The effect of cinnamon, clove, oregano, palmarosa and lemongrass oils on zearalenone (ZEA) and deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation by one isolate of Fusarium graminearum in non-sterilized naturally contaminated maize grain at 0.995 and 0.950 aw and at 20°C and 30°C was evaluated at a 500 mg kg−1 level. Efficacy of essential oils was found to be poor, clove essential oil being that with a broader applicability. In general, competing mycoflora seemed to control to a large extent ZEA and DON accumulation, and then the effectiveness of essential oils could only be observed under certain environmental conditions, 0.950 aw/30°C for ZEA, and 0.995 aw/30°C for DON. Better results might be obtained by applying higher dosages; sensory quality, however, should not be compromised. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Ground and unground wheat samples were analysed through hyperspectral image acquisition. • Reflectance spectral data were 1st derivative transformed as optimum pretreatment. • Root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) was 1.57 mg/kg for ergosterol quantification. • RMSEP of validation was 501–518 μg/kg, for deoxynivalenol quantification. • About 84% of samples were correctly classified according to the legal EU limit. The present study aimed to evaluate the use of hyperspectral imaging (HSI)-NIR spectroscopy to assess the presence of DON and ergosterol in wheat samples through prediction and classification models. To achieve these objectives, a first set of bulk samples was scanned by HSI-NIR and divided into two subsamples, one that was analysed for ergosterol and another that was analysed for DON by HPLC. This method was repeated for a second larger set to build prediction and classification models. All the spectra were pretreated and statistically processed by PLS and LDA. The prediction models presented a RMSEP of 1.17 mg/kg and 501 µg/kg for ergosterol and DON, respectively. Classification achieved an encouraging accuracy of 85.4% for an independent validation set of samples. The results confirm that HSI-NIR may be a suitable technique for ergosterol quantification and DON classification of samples according to the EU legal limit for DON. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin produced mainly by Fusarium species and occurs predominantly in cereal grains such as wheat. Due to its toxic effects, in the European Union DON content in unprocessed cereals and processed cereal-based products for human consumption has been regulated, and recommended maximum limits have been established for animal feed. In this study, a method for degrading DON on wheat kernels, by exposition to ammonia (NH 3) vapours, was optimized. Results have shown that with a simple treatment with ammonia vapours at 90 °C (for 2 h), degradations higher than 75% were achieved in kernels affected by a moderated contamination up to 2000 μg/kg DON. The study of the reaction between DON and NH 3 allowed us to tentatively establish the structure of possible degradation products. In addition, in silico evaluation indicated, in general, lower toxicity and biological effects for the degradation products than for DON. • Ammonia vapours treatment reduced effectively deoxynivalenol levels on wheat kernels. • Under optimal conditions, deoxynivalenol degradation was higher than 75%. • Initial levels of deoxynivalenol up to 2000 μg/kg did not affect treatment efficacy. • The reaction products of deoxynivalenol and ammonia have been tentatively identified. • In silico evaluation estimated a decrease of toxicity and biological effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the mycotoxins transfer in the wort and yeast during ale and lager fermentation, secondary fermentation, and beer storage. Four yeasts were used to ferment wort contaminated with DON and ZEN. The wort was fermented with two S. cerevisiae yeasts (yeasts A and B) at 15, 20, 25 °C for 96 h, and two S. pastorianus (yeasts C and D) at 10, 15, 20 °C for 144 h. After fermentation, the two wort with the highest mycotoxin decrease were selected for a second fermentation and stored period. Mycotoxins were extracted using QuEChERS and analyzed by UHPLC-DAD/FLD. In the wort, DON decreased from 11% to 27%, locating it adsorbed on the yeast from LOD to 6.16%. ZEN in the wort decreased from 29% to 90%, locating it adsorbed on the yeast from 5.41% to 33.86%. Ale-fermentation process obtained the highest decrease of ZEN in the wort, whereas, for DON, there was no significant difference in the reduction between the 2 fermentation styles. Finally, there was no significant change in mycotoxin content during storage. Knowledge of the mitigating effect of fermentation variables could help to reduce the mycotoxin content in beer. • DON and ZEN adsorption ability of S. pastorianus and S. cerevisiae was evaluated. • Temperature and fermentation parameters affect mycotoxins degradation in the brewing. • Second fermentation supplies to the mitigation in a proportion like the first one. • There was no significant change in mycotoxin content during the storage period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near infrared hyperspectral imaging (HSI-NIR) is considered a promising technique able to replace time-consuming, costly and destructive classic methods to predict and classify deoxynivalenol (DON) contaminated wheat kernels or samples by its concentration and level of contamination, respectively. The main objective of the present study was to standardise the HSI-NIR image acquisition method in naturally contaminated whole wheat kernels to obtain a high accuracy method to quantify and classify samples according to DON levels. To confirm the results, wheat samples were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography as the reference method to determine their DON levels. Hyperspectral images for single kernels and whole samples were obtained and spectral data were processed by multivariate analysis software. The initial work revealed that HSI-NIR was able to overcome kernel orientation, position and pixel selection. The subsequent developed Partial Least Squares (PLS) prediction achieved a RMSEP (Root Mean Square Error of Prediction) of 405 μg/kg and 1174 μg/kg for a cross-validated model and an independent set validated model, respectively. Moreover, the classification accuracy obtained by Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) was 62.7% for two categories depending on the EU maximum level (1250 μg/kg). Despite of the results are not accurate enough for DON quantification and sample classification, they can be considered a starting point for further improved protocols for DON management. • This study was developed by single wheat kernels and whole wheat samples hyperspectral image acquisition. • HSI-NIR was able to overcome kernel orientation, position and pixel selection by PCA analysis. • The root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) for the cross-validation model was 405 μg/kg. • The root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) for the indepent sample set validated model was 1174 μg/kg. • Classification accuracy of wheat samples by the legal limit (1250 μg/kg) was 62.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is an emergent, rapid, cost-effective and non-destructive technique in which the spectral data are obtained for each pixel location in a sample's image. The application of this technique to assess mycotoxins and mycotoxigenic fungi in cereals is considered promising to replace time-consuming wet-chemistry methods and for its potential grain sorting ability, in order to reduce food and feed contamination and the associated toxic effects in human and animals. Fusarium is a plant pathogen and deoxynivalenol (DON)-producer which presents high incidence in cereals such as wheat, maize and barley. The following review encompasses detailed information about the HSI principle and an updated outlook of its applications in the detection and quantification of Fusarium and DON in cereals. Moreover, HSI prediction algorithms for DON quantification are novel approaches which present high complexity owed to the asymptomatic nature of the grain despite of high mycotoxin concentrations. The spatial faculty of this system may be able to overcome the contamination heterogeneity of the grain for its elimination, enhancing risk management and rising the economic performance. Additionally, HSI is also proposed as a powerful grain sorting instrument due to high accuracies obtained in classification of single kernels according to Fusarium and DON infection. Therefore, an overview of the HSI applications for on-line and massive cereal sorting in grain industry is also presented. • Hyperspectral imaging is an emerging approach for cereal contamination assessment. • HSI classification accuracies are high for Fusarium-damaged wheat kernels. • DON contaminated wheat kernels can be classified effectively. • DON quantification around the maximum permitted levels has not been achieved. • HSI may be a potential tool for DON contaminated kernels sorting at legal limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]