Mycotoxin-contaminated food is an important public health issue. The aims of this study were to monitor mycotoxin contamination in Korean ginger and to investigate storage conditions to reduce mycotoxins. A total of 44 ginger samples (27 gingers and 17 ginger powders) were analyzed for contamination with aflatoxin B 1 , B 2 , G 1 , G 2 , ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), and zearalenone (ZEA). Mycotoxin levels were quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography after immunoaffinity column clean-up. At least one mycotoxin was present in 37.03% of the ginger samples (10/27) and 41.17% of the ginger powder samples (7/17). NIV was the most frequently detected mycotoxin in the ginger samples (37.03%, 24.74-263.40 μg/kg), while DON (35.29%, 17.62-401.58 μg/kg), NIV (29.41%, 73.24-439.65 μg/kg), and ZEA (23.53%, 5.80-97.84 μg/kg) were frequently detected in the ginger powder samples. Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A were not detected in most of the ginger samples. In addition, two or more mycotoxins were found in ginger (25.93%) and ginger powder samples (29.41%). In the storage experiment, DON and NIV levels in ginger were significantly lower under 13℃ and 96% relative humidity than under the other conditions. This is the first report of DON and NIV in Korean ginger samples and the co-occurrence of Fusarium toxins.

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