Statistical comparison of Fusarium mycotoxins content in oat grain and related products from two agricultural systems

- The presence of several Fusarium mycotoxins in oat and oat products was analyzed.
- The comparison of the occurrence of mycotoxins in organic and conventional samples was statistically evaluated.
- Conventional material was found to be more contaminated than the organic samples.

A total of 98 samples of oat grain and products from two farming systems were collected during the period of 2009-2011 and analyzed for the presence of trichothecenes (deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, monoacetoxyscirpenol, diacetoxyscirpenol) and zearalenone using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. All mycotoxins were found at different frequency and levels in the tested oat samples; however, a higher intensity of distribution of DON, T-2 and HT-2 toxins was found in the conventional system of farming than in organic. The highest concentration in both systems (up to 655 μg kg−1) was that of the mycotoxin NIV.