Survey of deoxynivalenol in U.S. 1993 wheat and barley crops by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Wheat and barley from the 1993 crop year were analyzed for deoxynivalenol (DON). A total of 630 samples were collected by the Federal Grain Inspection Service in 25 states and analyzed using a commercially available, direct competitive, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The limit of determination was about 0.5 micrograms/g. DON contamination in the 483 wheat samples averaged 2.0 micrograms/g and ranged from < 0.5 to 18 micrograms/g. DON contamination in the 147 barley samples averaged 4.2 micrograms/g and ranged from < 0.5 to 26 micrograms/g. About 40% fo the wheat samples and 57% of the barley samples contained DON levels that were greater than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 1982 advisory level of 2 micrograms/g for DON in wheat designated for milling (human consumption).