Distribution of deoxynivalenol in Gibberella-infected food-grade corn kernels

The objective of this study was to determine the distribution of deoxynivalenol (DON) in whole corn and milled corn fractions to provide management guidelines for corn producers and corn processors. Naturally contaminated, food grade corn from six commercial producers was cleaned on a commercial gravity table cleaner. Whole grain from the densest fraction produced by the gravity table was separated into germ, pericarp and endosperm fractions using a barley pearler. The DON level in the densest fraction was about 40% of the total DON in the original uncleaned grain. When the kernels were pearled, over 80% of the kernel weight was endosperm. The endosperm fraction contained 20% of the original DON. Approximately 25% of the DON was found in the germ portion of the kernel and 55% was retained in the pericarp. The concentration of DON in the endosperm fraction was one-eighth that of the original cleaned kernels.