Rapid methods for deoxynivalenol and other trichothecenes

Method development for deoxynivalenol (DON) and other trichothecenes in recent years was driven by the analytical necessities arising from its widespread (and increasing) occurrence in foods and feeds. This has resulted in the establishment of guideline levels for animal feed, tolerable daily intake (TDI) levels for humans, and most importantly, in the prospect of low-tolerance levels for these toxins in foods in the near future. In order to ensure reliable determination of the toxin content at the tolerance levels, routine analytical methods must have detection limits of less than the tolerance level. This paper intends to give an overview of current analytical developments of rapid testing for deoxynivalenol and other trichothecene mycotoxins, with a special focus on antibody-based techniques. This includes high-throughput instrumental analysis for the laboratory environment, as well as rapid visual tests for on-site testing. The applicability of rapid tests within an integrated detection system for mycotoxins in foods is discussed. (C) 2004 ILSI. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.