Application of a PCR protocol for the diagnosis of trichothecene producingFusarium species in deoxynivalenol contaminated wheat.

Trichothecenes pose a health risk to consumers and the presence of the producing fungi causes problems in industrial processing of cereals. A Triplex PCR was developed for screening of samples contaminated with toxigenic Fusarium species. The Triplex PCR could detect Fusarium species with high precision as compared to microbiological data of sample materials. There was a positive correlation between the occurrence of a PCR signal and the prevalence of the mycotoxin DON (Deoxynivalenol).