Ensuring that UK cereals meet safety standards

In work carried out for the Home Grown Cereals Authority, we assessed wheat, barley and oats destined for milling, malting or animal feed for specific chemicals: pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and heavy metals. Samples of each type of grain were collected immediately after harvest and after storage of up to six months.

The overwhelming majority of samples complied with legal and guideline limits. Ochratoxin A, although quite common in most sample types, was generally detected only at low concentrations, suggesting that mould growth and toxin synthesis were being adequately controlled by suitable storage conditions. Fusarium mycotoxins, produced during growth in the field, showed significant seasonal variations, though the trend of increasing prevalence observed in preceding years has not been sustained. This can probably be ascribed to a combination of climate conditions and agronomic practices.

Levels of heavy metals and pesticides were all within legal limits and did not vary substantially from season to season.

Contact: Nick Byrd
+44(0)1386 842187
nick.byrd@campdenbri.co.uk

Contact: Ian Slaiding
+44(0)1737 824206
ian.slaiding@campdenbri.co.uk