ALTERNARIA MYCOTOXINS IN SUNFLOWER SEEDS - INCIDENCE AND DISTRIBUTIONOF THE TOXINS IN OIL AND MEAL

A survey of 150 sunflower-seed samples was carried out to evaluate the contamination from infection with Alternaria alternata with alternari ol (AGH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) and tenuazonic acid (TA). A high percentage of the samples was contaminated with AOH (85%), AME , (47%), and TA (65%). The average levels detected were 187 mu g/kg fo r AOH, 194 mu g/kg for AME, and 6,692, mu g/kg for TA. When sunflower seeds fermented by Alternaria alternata were processed under laborator y conditions to obtain the oil and meal, different distributions of Al ternaria toxins between the oil and the meal were observed: whereas AG H, AME, and TA were detected in the meal, only AME and TA were detecte d in the oil, and the latter in a low percentage.