Natural occurrence of fumonisins B-1 and B-2 in domestic maize of Taiwan

Samples of maize grown in various districts of Taiwan were collected and an alyzed for the presence of fumonisin B-1 (FB1) and fumonisin B-2 (FB2) usin g high-performance liquid chromatography. Forty-nine (44.5%) and 2 (1.8%) o f 110 samples were found to contain FB1 (109-1148 ng/g) and FB2 (222-255 ng /g), respectively. The frequency of detection and also the maximum FB1 conc entration were found in samples from Penton (2/2, 262 ng/g), followed by Ch iayi (18/26, 264 ng/g), Tainan (8/16, 160 ng/g), Hualinen (5/14, 1148 ng/g) , Taitung (7/20, 109 ng/g), and Yunlin (9/26, 361 ng/g). Of the 110 samples examined, only 2 samples from Hualinen had been detected containing FB2. D uring an analysis of the distribution pattern of FB1, it became apparent th at > 79% of tested samples had FB1 concentrations < 100 ng/g, whereas 2.7% (or 3 samples) contained FB1 >300 ng/g. These results clearly illustrated t hat domestically produced maize for human consumption is frequently contami nated with FB1.