Masked mycotoxins: occurrence, metabolism and role in planta

This work is focused on the study of Fusarium masked mycotoxins, secondary metabolites produced by plants via conjugation mechanisms of the parent mycotoxins. A special focus was devoted to DON-3-glucoside and ZEN-14-glucoside, the main derivatives of DON and ZEN in grains. The term “masked mycotoxins” arose almost a decade ago from the observation that usually these conjugates escape routine analysis on account of their different chemical behavior in comparison to their parent compounds. This study has been divided into three parts. The first one is addressed to the development of a new analytical method able to reveal these compounds in cereals and, in particular, to study their occurrence in naturally contaminated durum wheat. The second part involved greenhouse experiments carried out in order to better understand the masking mechanism of DON and the resistance of different durum wheat genotypes to one of the most severe disease that affects wheat plants (Fusarium Head Blight). In the last part of the work investigations on the toxic effect of masked mycotoxins and their fate upon human digestion,were carried out.