Metabolism of the Fusarium mycotoxins zearalenone and deoxynivalenol by yeast strains of technological relevance

Abstract

The Fusarium mycotoxin zearalenone (ZEA), added at a level of 2 μ/ml, was reduced stereoselectively by cultures of Candida tropicalis, Torulaspora delbrückii, Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, and 7 Saccharomyces strains to both α‐ and β‐zearalenol. In contrast, only a‐zearalenol was produced from ZEA by Pichia fermentans and several yeast strains of the genera Candida, Hansenula, Brettanomyces, Schizosaccharomyces, and Saccharomycopsis. No glucose conjugates of ZEA (zearalenone‐4‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside) were detected. The trichothecene mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) was not metabolized by any of the yeast strains that were used for analysis.