Cereal Chemistry. 2019;00:1–11. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cche | 1 © 2019 Cereals & Grains Association 1 | INTRODUCTION Deoxynivalenol (DON; 3α,7α,15-trihydroxy-12,13-epoxy- trichothec-9-en-8-one; vomitoxin), a highly water-soluble type B trichothecene, is a prevalent mycotoxin contaminating cereal commodities, such as wheat, corn, barley, rye, and oat (Wu, Lohrey, Cramer, Yuan, & Humpf, 2011). DON is produced by two important cereal pathogens, Fusarium graminearum Schwabe and F. culmorum (W. G. Smith) Sacc., both responsi- ble for head blight in wheat (Moss, 2002). Fusarium head blight (FHB) is likely to occur during wheat growth under humid and temperate weather (21–25°C), causing a decrease in wheat yield and raises food safety concerns due to mycotoxin accumulation (Moss, 2002; Wang et al., 2016). Consumption of grain or grain products that contain DON can cause digestive disorders and emesis in animals and humans (Wu et al., 2011). In this regard, Received: 30 September 2019 | Revised: 1 December 2019 | Accepted: 4 December 2019 DOI: 10.1002/cche.10245 RESEARCH ARTICLE Wet milling of deoxynivalenol-contaminated wheat: Effect on physicochemical properties of starch Ana M. Magallanes López | Frank A. Manthey | Senay Simsek Department of Plant Sciences, Cereal Science Graduate Program, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA Correspondence Senay Simsek, Department of Plant Sciences, Cereal Science Graduate Program, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA. Email: senay.simsek@ndsu.edu Abstract Background and objectives: Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a water-soluble mycotoxin that contaminates cereals, causing a negative economic impact on producers. Wet milling is a process that separates plant components based on chemistry (starch, gluten, lipid, and fiber), which can result in profitable products for the ingredients market. This research aimed to compare the effectiveness of three laboratory-scale wet-milling processes (Martin, medium shear, and high shear) on the extraction and functionality of starch from wheat samples containing DON. Findings: DON concentration in farina (3.0 mg/kg) and semolina (8.8 mg/kg) ex- ceeded the security threshold for human consumption. After wet milling, DON was not detectable in the starch fraction. Starch produced from the medium shear process had significantly (p ≤ .05) lower protein contamination while transition temperatures significantly (p ≤ .05) decreased compared to the other two wet-milling procedures. Martin process resulted in the method with the greatest starch damage and signifi- cantly (p ≤ .05) different thermal and pasting properties when compared to medium and high shear processes. Conclusions: The three laboratory-scale wet-milling processes were effective for obtaining starch free of DON. Depending on the wet-milling process applied, differ- ences were detected regarding physical damage of the granules, and the proportion of A and B granules which impacted the viscous and thermal properties. Significance and novelty: Wet milling provides a valuable alternative for the use of DON-contaminated grain in the industrial production of wheat starch. KEYWORDS deoxynivalenol, durum wheat, spring wheat, starch, wet-milling