Mycotoxins are so-called secondary metabolites of different species of moulds that can cause poisoning in humans and animals after consumption of according quantities. The present paper shows the relevance of the mycotoxins Deoxynivalenol and Ochratoxin A in general. Furthermore it lists the papers published hitherto concerning mycotoxins in the brewing process and their results individually and in chronological order. The practical part of the present paper focuses mainly on measuring the development of changes in concentrations of the above-mentioned toxins in all stages of the brewing process in order to fill existing gaps of knowledge and prove possibilities of the so-called "masking" of those substances. To this effect, in addition to screenings of samples taken from production batches, experiments and examinations on a pilot brewing scale with relevance to practical conditions were carried out both with crystalline toxins and naturally contaminated wheat as well as samples of barley and wheat malts. Apart from new insights into the development of the above-mentioned toxin concentrations during mashing and fermentation, maskings could be detected and be demonstrated and proven in trials. Moreover the carbohydrate and amino acid spectra of fermenting worts and the influence of both mycotoxins on growth and fermentation activity of yeasts were examined. Based on the results obtained, certain prognoses about toxin concentrations to be expected in production worts and beers, about adsorption and carry-over of the toxins by harvested yeast and statements concerning the applicability of experiments using crystalline toxins to practical conditions can be made.
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