SURVEILLANCE OF FUMONISINS IN UK MAIZE-BASED FOODS AND OTHER CEREALS

A survey has been carried out to determine the levels of fumonisins in a variety of maize-based foods and cereals available in the UK. The f ate of fumonisins during commercial processing of maize was also asses sed at each stage of the process. Fumonisins were not detected in samp les of barley, wheat, soya, oats, vice, corn syrup or oil, corn-on-the -cob, corn-fed chicken or wheat flour tortilla. Despite detectable fum onisin contamination in samples of the original maize, fumonisins were not detected in samples of the food products obtained from commercial maize processing. Low levels were detected in samples of tacos and in some foods containing corn-based thickeners, such as instant semolina pudding and instant custard powder. Approximately 78% of corn snack s amples contained fumonisins (11-220 mu g/kg), while 24% of breakfast c ereals contained total fumonisins at between 11 and 194 mu g/kg. Altho ugh none of the ready-made popcorn samples contained detectable levels of fumonisins, 46% of popping corn samples and microwaveable popcorn contained fumonisins at 14-784 mu g/kg. The highest levels, of fumonis ins were detected in samples of polenta with concentrations ranging fr om 16 to 2124 mu g/kg. Overall, furnonisins were detected in 26%, (76) of the 291 retail samples analysed.