TY - JOUR
T1 - Single-kernel analysis of fumonisins and other fungal metabolites in maize from South African subsistence farmers
AU - Mogensen, J. M.
AU - Sørensen, S. M.
AU - Sulyok, M.
AU - van der Westhuizen, L.
AU - Shephard, G. S.
AU - Frisvad, J. C.
AU - Thrane, U.
AU - Krska, R.
AU - Nielsen, K. F.
PY - 2011/12
Y1 - 2011/12
N2 - Fumonisins are important Fusarium mycotoxins mainly found in maize and derived products. This study analysed maize from five subsistence farmers in the former Transkei region of South Africa. Farmers had sorted kernels into good and mouldy quality. A total of 400 kernels from 10 batches were analysed; of these 100 were visually characterised as uninfected and 300 as infected. Of the 400 kernels, 15% were contaminated with 1.84-1428 mg kg -1 fumonisins, and 4% (n = 15) had a fumonisin content above 100 mg kg -1. None of the visually uninfected maize had detectable amounts of fumonisins. The total fumonisin concentration was 0.28-1.1 mg kg -1 for good-quality batches and 0.03-6.2 mg kg -1 for mouldy-quality batches. The high fumonisin content in the batches was apparently caused by a small number (4%) of highly contaminated kernels, and removal of these reduced the average fumonisin content by 71%. Of the 400 kernels, 80 were screened for 186 microbial metabolites by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, detecting 17 other fungal metabolites, including fusaric acid, equisetin, fusaproliferin, beauvericin, cyclosporins, agroclavine, chanoclavine, rugulosin and emodin. Fusaric acid in samples without fumonisins indicated the possibility of using non-toxinogenic Fusaria as biocontrol agents to reduce fumonisin exposure, as done for Aspergillus flavus. This is the first report of mycotoxin profiling in single naturally infected maize kernels.
AB - Fumonisins are important Fusarium mycotoxins mainly found in maize and derived products. This study analysed maize from five subsistence farmers in the former Transkei region of South Africa. Farmers had sorted kernels into good and mouldy quality. A total of 400 kernels from 10 batches were analysed; of these 100 were visually characterised as uninfected and 300 as infected. Of the 400 kernels, 15% were contaminated with 1.84-1428 mg kg -1 fumonisins, and 4% (n = 15) had a fumonisin content above 100 mg kg -1. None of the visually uninfected maize had detectable amounts of fumonisins. The total fumonisin concentration was 0.28-1.1 mg kg -1 for good-quality batches and 0.03-6.2 mg kg -1 for mouldy-quality batches. The high fumonisin content in the batches was apparently caused by a small number (4%) of highly contaminated kernels, and removal of these reduced the average fumonisin content by 71%. Of the 400 kernels, 80 were screened for 186 microbial metabolites by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, detecting 17 other fungal metabolites, including fusaric acid, equisetin, fusaproliferin, beauvericin, cyclosporins, agroclavine, chanoclavine, rugulosin and emodin. Fusaric acid in samples without fumonisins indicated the possibility of using non-toxinogenic Fusaria as biocontrol agents to reduce fumonisin exposure, as done for Aspergillus flavus. This is the first report of mycotoxin profiling in single naturally infected maize kernels.
KW - cereals
KW - fumonisins
KW - LC/MS
KW - mycology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84855999892&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/19440049.2011.611823
DO - 10.1080/19440049.2011.611823
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 22023397
AN - SCOPUS:84855999892
SN - 1944-0049
VL - 28
SP - 1724
EP - 1734
JO - Food Additives and Contaminants - Part A Chemistry, Analysis, Control, Exposure and Risk Assessment
JF - Food Additives and Contaminants - Part A Chemistry, Analysis, Control, Exposure and Risk Assessment
IS - 12
ER -