Trends in Mycotoxin Contamination of Cereals and Cereal Products in Korea

In this review, the mycotoxin contamination of Korean cereals and their products is analyzed by crop based on scientific publications since 2000. Barley, rice, and corn were investigated heavier than the others. The common mycotoxins occurred in all cereals and their products were deoxynivalenol and zearalenone. Nivalenol was detected in all samples analyzed but more frequently or mainly in barley, rice, and oat. Fumonisin was commonly detected in corn and sorghum but also in adlay, millet, and rice. Adlay and millet were similar in the contamination pattern that fumonisin and zearalenone were the most frequently detected mycotoxins. Zearalenone was the most commonly detected mycotoxin with concentrations higher than the national standards (maximum limit), followed by deoxynivalenol, and aflatoxin. However, most occurrence levels were below the maximum limits for respective mycotoxins. This result shows that barley, rice, corn, sorghum, millet, and adlay are more vulnerable to mycotoxin contamination than other cereals and therefore continuous monitoring and safety management are necessary.