Wet milling technique applied to deoxynivalenol‐contaminated wheat dry‐milled fractions

Abstract

Abstract Background and objectives The consumption of wheat contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON), a highly water‐soluble Fusarium mycotoxin, represents a health threat to animals and humans. Dry milling does not destroy or remove DON from the grain but physically separates the bran and germ from the endosperm. Information is limited concerning the effectiveness of wet milling processes in removing DON from contaminated wheat dry milling fractions (farina/semolina, shorts, bran). The aim of this research was to determine the extent of DON removal from these wheat fractions during wet milling using the Martin process. Findings After wet milling farina and semolina containing 2.76–5.07 mg/kg and 3.53–10.39 mg/kg DON, respectively, gluten extracted from hard red spring wheat (HRSW) contained low levels of DON < 0.60 mg/kg, while gluten extracted from durum wheat (DW) contained no detectable DON. The remainder of DON was found in the water‐soluble fraction. After wet milling shorts, DON levels were only detected in the freeze‐dried water‐soluble fraction. After wet milling the bran fraction, DON was found in isolated starch and destarched bran from HRSW and DW; the highest DON concentration was found in the freeze‐dried water‐soluble fraction accounting 83% and 88% in HRSW and DW, respectively. Conclusions Results indicated that wet milling was effective in removing DON from the studied dry‐milled fractions. Significance and novelty The implementation of the wet milling technique could be useful in reducing or eliminating DON from dry milling products, which would allow them to be used in animal and human food.