Determination of trichothecenes in beer by capillary gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection

In 1999 and 2000, high concentrations of deoxynivalenol (DON) were found in wheat and breakfast cereals sold on the Dutch market. Besides wheat other grains can be contaminated with trichothecenes. Using these grains in the brewing process, the produced beer could be contaminated with trichothecenes. A previously developed GC–FID method to determine trichothecenes in wheat was made applicable for the determination of trichothecenes (DON, nivalenol, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, fusarenon X, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol and neosolaniol) in beer. Surveys were carried out in November 2000 and March 2001 to investigate the presence of trichothecenes in beers marketed in the Netherlands. In only three of the 51 beer samples low quantities of DON were found, ranging from 26 to 41 μg/l. Besides DON, no trichothecenes were found in the beers at levels above the limit of quantification (25 μg/l). All positive samples were from so-called top fermentation beers.