Occurrence, Distribution Characteristics, Risk Assessment, and Climatic Drivers of Type B Trichothecenes and Their Transformation Products in Major Wheat-Producing Areas of China

Type B trichothecenes (B-TCTs), predominant mycotoxins in wheat, threaten human health. However, their contamination profile in China, a major wheat producer, remains unclear. This study analyzed 1337 wheat samples (2022-2024) from main production areas using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and deterministic assessment to investigate B-TCTs' watershed-scale distribution, spatiotemporal variations, associated health risks, and key climatic drivers. Results indicate that deoxynivalenol (DON) and its transformation product DON-3-glucoside (DON-3G) were the predominant contaminants, while nivalenol (NIV) was detected in specific river basins. Although overall exposure was low, elevated risks were identified in certain basins during particular years, especially for young children. DON-3G contributed 23.5% to total DON exposure. Relative humidity (rs = 0.34, <i>p</i> < 0.01), precipitation (rs = 0.37, <i>p</i> < 0.01), and its duration (rs = 0.38, <i>p</i> < 0.01) during the flowering-to-harvest period were identified as critical climatic drivers. The findings highlight the need to include DON-3G in food safety regulations and to develop climate-adapted control strategies.