Confirmation of reduced toxicity of deoxynivalenol in extrusion-processed corn grits by the MTT bioassay

The objective of this study was to determine the loss of toxicity of deoxynivalenol in extruded cereal-based products by the tetrazolium salt (MTT) bioassay using a sensitive Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cell line and to compare the results to chemical (high-performance liquid chromatography, HPLC) and biochemical (enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay, ELISA) methods of analysis. A split-split plot design was used for the extrusion process experiments at temperatures of 150, 175, and 200 degrees C and screw speeds of 70 and 140 rpm. The initial mean deoxynivalenol concentration in the corn grits artificially contaminated with Fusarium graminearum was found to be 23.5 mug/g as measured by HPLC. The percent reductions of deoxynivalenol in the contaminated corn grits upon extrusion processing ranged from 22 to 35%, from 21 to 34%, and from 21 to 37% as measured by HPLC, ELISA, and MTT bioassay, respectively. The MTT bioassay results were more closely correlated with HPLC (r = 0.90) results than with ELISA results (r = 0.78). The MTT bioassay, using a sensitive mammalian cell line, was demonstrated to be a useful method for quantification of deoxynivalenol as well as a potential toxicity screening method for contaminated extruded cereal-based products.