Deoxynivalenol and its masked forms: Characteristics, incidence, control and fate during wheat and wheat based products processing - A review

Background: Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a toxic secondary metabolite primarily produced by Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium culmorum that is common in grains, such as wheat and wheat-based products. Scope and approach: This review points out on the main DON-producing fungi, the factors affecting DON production, its toxicological aspects and preventive measures to avoid contamination of foods by DON. Further, the article discusses the fate of DON throughout the processing of wheat, bread, and pasta and finally critically assesses data on the impact of specific steps of processing on DON contents in wheat-based products. Key findings and conclusions: The proposed controls at pre- and post-harvest stages seem to comprise the most efficient strategies to manage the incidence of DON in wheat and wheat-based products. Prevention of plant infection by Fusarium species, managing crops and ensuring the rapid drying of wheat after harvest is the effective approaches for the elimination of DON contamination. There has been contradictory data in the literature on the fate of DON during wheat and wheat-based products processing Due to differences in processing, such as temperature, additives, processing time and loaf size in addition to the occurrence of modified (masked) forms of DON. Therefore, further research must be carried out aiming to reveal the formation and occurrence of modified forms of DON. These compounds can be formed throughout wheat processing, from pre-harvest to processing of wheat-based products, and for proper quantification, analytical methods able to quantify modified forms of DON are required.