Alcoholic fermentation effects on malt spiked with trichothecenes

Malt contaminated with DON and T-2 toxin at levels of between 0 and 1000 ng/g was used for fermentation on a laboratorial scale in order to evaluate the decontamination caused by alcoholic fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Fermentation was carried out over a period of 120 h at 14 degreesC and a reduction in the levels of contamination was detected by GC. Forty one percent of the initial quantity of DON and T-2 toxin contamination was passed on to the final liquid portion. Six percent of the initial contamination was detected in the wort, which signifies a total decontamination of 53% of DON and T-2 toxin, taking into account both the wort and the filtered sample. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.