Determination of zearalenone contamination in wheat and rice in Chaharmahal va Bakhtyari, Iran

Abstract

Zearalenone (Mycotoxin F2) is a mycotoxin produced by genus Fusarium in cereals. This mycotoxin is a non-steroidal metabolite with esterogenic-like effects that causes reproductive problems in animals specially swine (infertility, abortion) and hyperestrogenism in women. The current study explores zearalenone contamination in wheat and rice. A total of 35 samples were collected from ShahreKord (Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari Province) in spring and summer 2010, which contained 15 wheat samples and 20 rice samples. The samples were analyzed by using direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (dcELISA). In 35 analyzed samples, zearalenone was found in 2 samples (5.7%) with a mean level of 89 µg kg-1. Only in rice samples zearalenone were detected (10%), while there was not any contamination in wheat samples. The results of this study show zearalenone from exposed wheat and rice would not be of health concern for Public Health in Iran.   Key words: Zearalenone (ZEN), wheat, rice, direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (dcELISA), Iran.