G. Pineda-valdes et Lb. Bullerman, Thermal stability of moniliformin at varying temperature, pH, and time in an aqueous environment, J FOOD PROT, 63(11), 2000, pp. 1598-1601
Moniliformin (MON) is a widely occurring mycotoxin, produced mainly by Fusa
rium proliferatum and Fusarium subglutinans in corn, that has been shown to
be acutely toxic for various animal species and is a suspected cause of Ke
shan disease in China. The effects of temperature (100, 125, and 150 degree
sC) and pH (4, 7, and 9) on the stability of MON were determined in aqueous
buffer solutions at processing times ranging from 10 to 60 min. The percen
tage of MON reduction was positively related to increasing temperature and
pH. MON was most stable at pH 4. After 60 min at pH 4 and 150 degreesC, MON
was reduced by only 5%. Heating at pH 10 caused major reduction of MON. Af
ter 60 min at pH 10 and 100, 125, and 150 degreesC, MON was reduced by 56,
72, and 83%, respectively. One trial done at 175 degreesC and pH 10 showed
that less than 1% MON remained after 60 min of processing.