Deoxynivalenol degradation in wheat kernels by exposition to ammonia vapours: A tentative strategy for detoxification

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin produced mainly by Fusarium species and occurs predominantly in cereal grains such as wheat. Due to its toxic effects, in the European Union DON content in unprocessed cereals and processed cereal-based products for human consumption has been regulated, and recommended maximum limits have been established for animal feed. In this study, a method for degrading DON on wheat kernels, by exposition to ammonia (NH3) vapours, was optimized. Results have shown that with a simple treatment with ammonia vapours at 90 °C (for 2 h), degradations higher than 75% were achieved in kernels affected by a moderated contamination up to 2000 μg/kg DON. The study of the reaction between DON and NH3 allowed us to tentatively establish the structure of possible degradation products. In addition, in silico evaluation indicated, in general, lower toxicity and biological effects for the degradation products than for DON.