Effect of cleaning, milling, and cooking on the reduction of deoxynivalenol in freshly harvested rice

Abstract Fusarium mycotoxins were frequently present in freshly harvested rice samples caused by Fusarium head blight in China recently. Due to the importance of rice and the risks associated with mycotoxins, the fate of Fusarium mycotoxins in rice was evaluated by physical methods. In the present study, a total of 157 freshly harvested rice samples were collected from fields in Jiangsu Province. Mycotoxin analysis showed that only Fusarium mycotoxins were found in these samples, with deoxynivalenol (DON) being the major mycotoxin. Twenty-three freshly harvested rice samples containing concentrations of DON higher than 200 μg/kg were selected for cleaning and milling. Compared with air or gravity separation, the combined air and gravity separation was the most effective cleaning method to decrease the content of DON. After milling, brown and white rice intended for human consumption presented lower level of DON than freshly harvested rice, husks, and bran. Three types of brown and white rice with different contents of DON were chosen for cooking. Compared with other treatments, preboiled was the most effective method to reduce DON in both brown and white rice. The results of this study improve our understanding of the transfer ratios of DON and the development of effective control measures during the postharvest stage.