Natural occurrence of 16 Fusarium toxins in edible oil marketed in Germany

A total of 110 samples of edible oil marketed in Germany were analysed for 13 trichothecene toxins of the A- and B-type by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and for zearalenone (ZEA) and its derivatives by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence and UV-detection. Fusarium toxins were found in oil from soybean, sunflower and corn germ with up to 14 samples positive for at least one of the toxins 4, 15-diacetoxyscirpenol, HT-2 toxin, T-2 toxin, deoxynivalenol, 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol, ZEA and α-zearalenol. Scirpentriol, 15-monoacetoxyscirpenol, T-2 tetraol, T-2 triol, neosolaniol, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, nivalenol, fusarenon-X and β-zearalenol were not found. Trichothecene concentrations did not exceed 116 μg/kg, whereas up to 1730 μg/kg of ZEA were found in corn germ oil. Toxins were detected in refined and non-refined samples as well as in those of conventional and ecological production.