Assessment of zearalenone contamination in processed cereal-based foods in Shahrekord, Iran

Zearalenone (ZEA) is a known mycotoxin with estrogenic, immunologic, teratogenic and carcinogenic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of ZEA in 80 samples of processed cereal-based foods including chips, cheese puffs, biscuits and cakes, collected from supermarkets in Shahrekord, Iran between April and September, 2015. The samples were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that 83.7% of the samples contained ZEA in the range of 0.25–8.02 μg/kg and the contamination average was 1.69 ± 1.46 μg/kg. None of the samples were found ZEA more than the allowed limit of the European Union. Due to the effects of ZEA in the etiology of early puberty in children, control of ZEA is recommended in cereal-based foods in Iran.