After testing for 8 common beer mycotoxins, the results showed that one sample, “Harbin,” was found with deoxynivalenol (DON), with a detection level of 26 micrograms per kilogram. No other samples were found with mycotoxins.
Deoxynivalenol (DON), also known as vomit toxin, is mainly produced by Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium culmorum, which can be found in soil and are pathogens of cereals (especially wheat and maize).
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives recommends a daily intake of 1 microgram per kilogram of body weight for DON, meaning that long-term exposure below this level is unlikely to pose a health risk to most people. For a 60-kilogram adult, consuming 4 cans of the sample (Harbin) detected with DON in one day would still be within safe levels.
However, the article reminds consumers that this intake level is set to protect public health, especially in cases where long-term or large amounts of DON intake may have adverse effects on health.
The article mentioned that the manufacturer of “Harbin” stated that the company has never exported tested products to Hong Kong for sale. The product has always been produced and sold only in mainland China and is not intended for sale in other regions. The entire production and sales process of the product comply with relevant laws and regulations in mainland China. The detected DON content in the samples is both compliant with and far below the relevant upper limit standards set internally, domestically, and internationally for cereal products.
FoodWorld 