Infection and Fumonisin Production by Fusarium verticillioides in Developing Maize Kernels.

ABSTRACT Fusarium ear rot and fumonisin contamination are serious problems for maize growers, particularly in the southeastern United States. The lack of maize genotypes highly resistant to infection by Fusarium verticillioides or to fumonisin contamination emphasizes the need for management strategies to prevent contamination by this mycotoxin. Information on the initial appearance of infection and fumonisin contamination of kernels and their increase over time is needed to determine if early harvest may be an appropriate control strategy.

Predicting aflatoxin and fumonisin in shelled corn lots using poor-quality grade components.

A study was conducted to determine if aflatoxin and fumonisin are concentrated in the poor-quality grade components of shelled corn. Four 1.0 kg test samples were each taken from 23 lots of shelled corn marketed in North Carolina.

Aflatoxin binders II: reduction of aflatoxin M1 in milk by sequestering agents of cows consuming aflatoxin in feed.

Sequestering agents bind dietary aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and reduce absorption from an animal's gastrointestinal tract. As a result, they protect an animal from the toxic effects of AFB1 and reduce transfer of the metabolite, aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), into milk. Three experiments, using late-lactation Holstein cows fed AFB1-contaminated feed, were conducted to evaluate several potential sequestering agents for their abilities to prevent or reduce the transmission of AFM1 into milk.

Effect of fermentation on Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) toxicity in mice.

Unfortunate bovine fatalities occurring after ingestion of mold-damaged sweetpotatoes preclude the use of the culled tubers in livestock feed. In cattle, mold-damaged sweetpotatoes induce an acute respiratory distress syndrome resulting in asphyxiation. Because of this potential toxicity and the general abundance of culled sweetpotatoes, the detoxification efficacy of ensiling was explored since it is an easy and economically viable technique often applied to preserve livestock feed.

Total fumonisins are reduced in tortillas using the traditional nixtamalization method of mayan communities.

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a maize mycotoxin. In tortilla preparation, maize is treated with lime (nixtamalization), producing hydrolyzed FB1 (HFB1) due to loss of the tricarballylic acid side chains. This study determined the following: 1) whether nixtamalization by Mayan communities reduces total fumonisins, and 2) the steps in the process at which reduction occurs.