Multi-year monitoring of deoxynivalenol (DON) in wheat from Türkiye: occurrence and temporal trends.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most frequently occurring mycotoxins in wheat and poses significant concerns for food safety. In this study, a total of 540 wheat samples collected between 2014 and 2024 were analyzed to evaluate the occurrence and temporal variability of DON contamination. DON was detected in 139 samples (25.74%), indicating a moderate level of contamination. The results revealed considerable inter-annual variability, with the annual prevalence of DON-positive wheat samples ranging from 16.1% to 35.0%. Despite the frequent occurrence of DON, only two samples (0.37%) exceeded the maximum level established by Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915, as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/1022. The analytical method demonstrated good performance in terms of linearity, sensitivity, accuracy, and precision, and long-term quality control results confirmed the stability and reliability of the method throughout the monitoring period. Overall, the findings indicate that while DON contamination is relatively common in wheat, the associated food safety risk in terms of regulatory limits remains low. The observed variability highlights the importance of continuous long-term monitoring for improved risk assessment and food safety management.