Mycotoxicological quality evaluation of corn samples used by processing industries in the Northern region of Paraná State, Brazil

Abstract

Based on fungal and fumonisin contamination of 870 freshly harvested samples, the quality of corn used by processing industries in the Northern region of Paraná State, Brazil (2003 and 2004 crop-year) was evaluated. Sampling was carried out for each crop at two points in the production chain, i.e. at reception by the processors and at the pre-drying step. Corn samples were more frequently contaminated with Fusarium sp. (100%) and Penicillium sp. (84.1–95.3%) than Aspergillus sp. (5.6–19.8%). Fumonisin B1 (FB1) was detected in all samples from the two points in both crop-years. FB1 levels ranged 0.02–11.83 µg g−1 in the reception and 0.02–10.98 µg g−1 in the pre-drying samples of the 2003 crop. Samples from the 2004 crop showed FB1 levels ranging 0.03–12.04 µg g−1 in the reception and 0.06–7.74 µg g−1 in the pre-drying samples. FB2 levels ranged 0.02–5.25 µg g−1 in the reception and 0.01–7.89 µg g−1 in the pre-drying samples (2003 crop-year). In samples from the 2004 crop, FB2 levels ranged 0.02–6.12 µg g−1 in the reception and 0.05–3.47 µg g−1 in the pre-drying samples. Low fumonisin levels were detected in most corn samples used by processors in the Northern region of Paraná State, showing a decreasing trend in fumonisin contamination over the years.