Rapid thin layer chromatographic method for determining aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A, and zearalenone in corn.

A multimycotoxin thin layer chromatographic method is described for the analysis of corn. Aflatoxins are extracted from the samples with acetonitrile-water, and sodium bicarbonate is added to separate the acidic ochratoxin from zearalenone and aflatoxin B1. After chloroform extraction, 1N NaOH is added to separate zearalenone and aflatoxin B1. The separated mycotoxins are spotted on TLC plates, which are then examined under ultraviolet light. The following recoveries (%) were obtained for corn samples: aflatoxin B1 71, ochratoxin A 87, and zearalenone 85. The limits of detection for the respective mycotoxins were 2, 40, and 200 ppb.

Natural contamination of corn (Zea maïs) with mycotoxins in Yugoslavia.

The 191 corn samples were collected in autumm and spring following the crop year 1975 from terminal elevators and from silos during the storage, at feed processing establishment. Some samples were taken on the farms at the region "Posavina" where the "Balkan kidney disease"--endemic nephrytis--is wide spread. The samples were analysed for : zearalenone, aflatoxins, skin irritating factors and ochratoxin A, by a modified multimycotoxins method. Zearalenone was found in 2.6 p. 100 samples (0.043-10 ppm), average 5.1 ppm. Aflatoxins were found in no samples. A skin irritating factor was found in 8.3 p. 100 samples (0.5-5.0 ppm), average 2.2 ppm, and ochratoxin A was found in 26 p. 100 samples (0.045-5.1 ppm), average 0.49 ppm.