Occurrence of fumonisins in corn, wheat and some of their based-food products in Egypt

ABSTRACT

Fumonisins, which possibly carcinogens are a family of mycotoxins produced by the Fusarium species that grow on agricultural commodities in the field or during storage. A total number of 106 representative samples [12 unprocessed [raw] corn, 46 corn based products; [snacks and corn flakes], 10 pop corn, and 38 wheat and wheat products] were collected during a 6 month period [1/2004 to 6/2004] and analyzed for total fumonisins. All samples were randomly selected from the local markets in Assiut Governor ate, Egypt during its validity periods. Fumonisins were determined with competitive direct enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay [CD-ELISA]. Fumonisins were detected in all analyzed samples [100%]. Its mean values were 7.55 +/- 3.16 and 8.21 +/- 1.26 mg/kg and ranged from 3.5 to 14.1 and 5.7 +/- 10.3 mg/kg in raw corn and pop corn, respectively. Corn based products; snacks and flakes from eight sources contained fumonisins with mean values ranging from 6.54 +/- 0.59 to 10.78 +/- 1.98 mg/kg. The minimum and maximum fumonisin concentrations varied from 5.6 to 7.4 and 7.2 to 16A mg/kg in corn based products; snacks and flakes from the different sources, respectively. Fumonisins content varied from 3.8 - 6.2 mg/kg in wheat grains with a mean value of 4.89 +/- 0.88 mg/kg. Its mean values in flour, semolina, fine shorts and fine bran were within the levels in grains, while higher values were found in coarse shorts [5.42 +/- 0.68 mg/kg] and wheat products [6.38 +/- 1.44 mg/kg]. The present study indicated that the recorded fumonisin mean values in all analyzed samples exceeded the recommended maximum levels for total fumonisins by PDA [2001]. Therefore, it is very essential to continuously monitor fumonisins in cereal, legumes and its products to see if a downward trend would be taken to minimize its occurrence