Natural Occurrence of Mycotoxin-Producing in Market-Bought Peruvian Cereals: A Food Safety Threat for Andean Populations.

Consumption of cereals contaminated by mycotoxins poses health risks. For instance, Fumonisins B, mainly produced by and , and the type B trichothecene deoxynivalenol, typically produced by are highly prevalent on cereal grains that are staples of many cultural diets and known to represent a toxic risk hazard. In Peru, corn and other cereals are frequently consumed on a daily basis under various forms, the majority of food grains being sold through traditional markets for direct consumption. Here, we surveyed mycotoxin contents of market-bought grain samples in order to assess the threat these mycotoxins might represent to Peruvian population, with a focus on corn. We found that nearly one sample of Peruvian corn out of six was contaminated with very high levels of Fumonisins, levels mostly ascribed to the presence of . Extensive profiling of Peruvian corn kernels for fungal contaminants could provide elements to refine the potential risk associated with toxins and help define adapted food safety standards.