Fusarium mycotoxins in corn and corn products in a high-risk area for gastric cancer in Shandong Province, China

Consumption of fermented, but not unfermented, corn pancakes has been linke d with elevated stomach cancer mortality rates in rural Linqu County in Sha ndong Province, China. Previous surveys of fungal contamination of corn in China have detected fumonisins, which are mycotoxins produced by Fusarium m oniliforme. To determine whether mycotoxins might account for the increased risk of cancer among those consuming fermented pancakes, we obtained speci mens of corn, cornmeal, unfermented and fermented pancake batter, and cooke d fermented pancakes from each of 16 households in Linqu County for analysi s by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fumonisins B-1, B-2, and B-3 were detected (greater than or equal to 0.5 mu g/g) in 19, 25, and 6% of the cor n specimens, respectively, as well as in various corn products, No type A t richothecenes were detected; however, the type B trichothecenes deoxynivale nol and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol were detected (greater than or equal to 0.5 mu g/g) in 58 and 17% of the corn specimens, respectively, and zearalenone was detected (greater than or equal to 0.5 mu/g) in 15% of the cornmeal sp ecimens. The mycotoxins were detected only at low levels (< 10 mu g/g), whi ch did not increase with fermentation. These findings do not support the hy pothesis that mycotoxin contamination increases the risk of gastric cancer among those who consume fermented Chinese pancakes.