Abstract
With high fat and protein content, maize germ is easily infected with fungus and mycotoxins during its storage. The qualities and safety of germ and its processing products may be affected by the storage. However, studies on the effect of storage on quality and polluted mycotoxin level of maize germ are limited. In this study, maize germ was stored with different initial moisture contents (5.03, 9.07, 11.82 and 17.97%) or at different relative humidity (75, 85 and 95%) for 30 days. The quality indices of germ (moisture content and crude fat content) and their produced germ oils (color, acid value and peroxide value) as well as the zearalenone (ZEN) and deoxynivalenol (DON) levels of germ, oils and meals were analyzed. Results showed that maize germ with high initial moisture contents (11.82, 17.97%) or kept at high humidity (95%) became badly moldy at the end of storage. Meanwhile, the qualities of these germ and oils showed great changes. However, the ZEN and DON contents of this maize germ, oils and meals stayed at similar levels (p < 0.05). Therefore, the storage could produce influence on the qualities of germ and oils, but showed limited effect on the DON and ZEN levels of germ and their processing products. According to this study, the storage condition of germ with no more than 9% moisture content and no higher than 75% humidity was recommended. This study would be benefit for the control of germ qualities and safety during its storage.
Highlights
Consisting of endosperm and germ, corn is a main economic crop in the world [1]
Maize germ was stored with different initial moisture contents or at different relative humidity for
The stored maize germ and their corresponding germ oils and meals were analyzed of their qualities, DON and ZEN levels
Summary
Consisting of endosperm and germ, corn is a main economic crop in the world [1]. Maize germ is a corn-processing byproduct, with high fat content (35–47%). It is rich in various nutritional compositions, such as vitamin E and polyunsaturated fatty acids [2]. Maize germ is a good source of edible oil which is highly consumed around the world for its unique flavor [3]. Large quantities of corn are used for producing alcohol and fuel alcohol, resulting in the production of large quantities of maize germ [4]. Because of the high fat and protein content of maize germ, maize germ is more attacked by Toxins 2020, 12, 535; doi:10.3390/toxins12090535 www.mdpi.com/journal/toxins
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