Fusarium toxins in cereals of integrated and organic cultivation from the Federal State of Brandenburg (Germany) harvested in the years 2000-2007.

Over a period of 8 years (2000-2007), wheat (n = 407) and rye (n = 510) samples of integrated and organic cultivation in the Federal State of Brandenburg were analyzed by HPLC for the Fusarium toxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA). In the years 2002 and 2007, the overall contamination level was higher than in the other years. The percentage of DON-positives (>50 µg/kg) varied from 5 to 86%, the median and maximum levels varied from 50 to 380 µg/kg and from 50  to 10,400 µg/kg, respectively. The percentage of ZEA-positives (>3 µg/kg) varied from 2 to 41%, the median and maximum levels varied from 8 to 84 µg/kg and from 10 to 451 µg/kg. In the 8 years of testing, frequency and levels of DON and ZEA were significantly lower in cereals of organic cultivation compared with cereals of integrated cultivation.