LEVELS OF FUMONISIN B-1 IN CORN NATURALLY CONTAMINATED WITH AFLATOXINS

Aflatoxins and fumonisin B-1 are hepatotoxic and carcinogenic metaboli tes produced by Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium moniliforme, respectiv ely. These fungi are common natural contaminants of corn, and both afl atoxins and fumonisin B-1 have been implicated as aetiological agents in animal and human diseases. To determine whether these mycotoxins co -exist on corn under natural conditions, 28 samples from the 1991 Geor gia (USA) corn crop were assayed for (total) aflatoxin and fumonisin B -1. 27 samples were positive for aflatoxin, 24 samples were positive f or fumonisin B-1, and 23 samples had detectable levels of both. In the positive samples, the mean aflatoxin concentration was 73 ppb (SD = 8 6), and the average fumonisin B-1 concentration was 0.87 ppm (SD = 0.6 5). A correlation between aflatoxin and fumonisin B-1 concentrations w as not evident. None the less, these results demonstrate that exposure to both mycotoxins can occur simultaneously by consumption of co-cont aminated corn.