ASSESSMENT OF HUMAN EXPOSURE TO FUMONISIN B-1

Fumonisin B-1 is currently regarded as the most significant mycotoxin produced by Fusarium spp. Ir has carcinogenic properties and may play a role in the etiology of human esophageal cancer. The human populatio n is exposed to fumonisin B-1 primarily by intake of fumonisin B-1-con taminated maize. Maize consumed in the Netherlands is imported from al l parts of the world. Since processing will not affect the overall tox ic effect, the fumonisin B-1 intake is directly related to the quantit y of maize consumed. Literature results concerning the occurrence of f umonisin B-1 in a total of 349 samples of maize from 18 countries worl dwide demonstrated the presence of this mycotoxin in 93% of the sample s. The median fumonisin B-1 contamination of all samples was 420 ng of fumonisin B-1 per g of maize, and the average contamination level was 1,359 ng of fumonisin B-1 per g of maize. Human intake of fumonisin B -1 was estimated based on the maize consumption of all people in the N etherlands in 1992. A probability distribution was derived to allow es timation of the exposure of the population to fumonisin B-1 intake in relation to maize intake. It showed that among those in the group cons idered to be at risk, people with gluten intolerance such as people wi th celiac or Duhring's disease, 37% are estimated to be exposed to an intake of at least 10(5) ng and 97% to an intake of at least 10(3) ng of fumonisin B-1 per person per day. For all people in the Netherlands these percentages would be 1% and 49%, respectively.