Analysis of Venezuelan Corn for Aflatoxin and Aspergillus Flavus or Aspergillus Parasiticus Contamination

Abstract

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by molds, which cause diseases in animals or man. The outbreak of Turkey X disease in England in 1960 culminated in the discovery of aflatoxin and the realization that low levels of these metabolites in food and feed could cause disease in animals and potentially pose a risk to man. Certain molds (Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus) are capable of producing aflatoxins under the conditions of 90-100% relative humidity and 12-45° C temperature (Northolt and Bullerman, 1982). Fungal contamination and mycotoxin accumulation can occur before or during harvesting as well as during storage. Contamination of corn before harvest is caused mainly by plant stress due to draught, poor agronomic practices, and insect damage ( Northolt and Bullerman 1982). Alpert and Davidson (1968) indicated aflatoxin plays a potential role in the incidence of he patic cancer in man in some regions of the world. The existence of a direct relation between the presence of aflatoxin in corn and the incidence of esophageal cancer in some areas of South Africa has been suggested by Marasas et al. (1981).