Changes in contents of trichothecenes during commercial grain milling

• Barley grain had a significantly lower total trichothecene concentration.
• Mean contents of total toxins in oat and wheat grains were the lowest.
• Significant effect of the milling on levels of mycotoxins in the final product was observed.

The aim of this study was to determine changes in contamination with mycotoxins group of trichothecenes in naturally infested grain samples of 4 cereal species at every stage of the technological process. Samples were collected from the technological lines of a mill located in Poland in the years 2006–2008. They were analyzed in terms the concentration of trichothecenes A and B. The mean concentrations of total mycotoxins, rye grain contained the greatest amounts of these metabolites at 0.080 mg/kg, barley grain had a significantly lower total trichothecene concentration of 0.052 mg/kg. Mean contents of total toxins in oat and wheat grains were the lowest, did not differ significantly and amounted to 0.015 mg/kg and 0.014 mg/kg, respectively. This study showed a significant effect of the milling process on levels of mycotoxins in the final product.