Estimated Fumonisin Exposure in Guatemala Is Greatest in Consumers of Lowland Maize

Fumonisin mycotoxins contaminate maize worldwide. Analysis of maize samples (n = 396) collected from fields in Guatemala from 2000 to 2003 found that lowland maize (1200 m). For example, 78% of the lowland samples collected at harvest in 2002 contained >0.3 μg/g of fumonisin B₁, whereas only 2% o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of nutrition 2007-12, Vol.137 (12), p.2723-2729
Main Authors: Torres, Olga A, Palencia, Edwin, Pratdesaba, Ligia Lopez de, Grajeda, Ruben, Fuentes, Mario, Speer, Marcy C, Merrill, Alfred H. Jr, O'Donnell, Kerry, Bacon, Charles W, Glenn, Anthony E, Riley, Ronald T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
corn
corn products
dietary exposure
Feeding. Feeding behavior
Food Contamination
Food Handling
food intake
food safety
food storage
fumonisin B1
Fumonisins - adverse effects
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Fusarium - isolation & purification
Fusarium verticillioides
geographical variation
Gibberella fujikuroi
Guatemala
highlands
Humans
lowland corn
lowlands
microbial contamination
nixtamalization
Risk Factors
seeds
storage quality
Time Factors
Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
Zea mays
Zea mays - microbiology
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Summary:Fumonisin mycotoxins contaminate maize worldwide. Analysis of maize samples (n = 396) collected from fields in Guatemala from 2000 to 2003 found that lowland maize (1200 m). For example, 78% of the lowland samples collected at harvest in 2002 contained >0.3 μg/g of fumonisin B₁, whereas only 2% of the highland samples contained >0.3 μg/g. Maize from the 2002 crop collected from storage in the highlands just before the 2003 harvest contained significantly more fumonisin B₁ compared with levels at harvest in 2002. All Fusarium-infected kernels analyzed from 9 random lowland locations in 2001 were infected with fumonisin-producing Fusarium verticillioides and no other Fusarium species, whereas in samples from the highlands, only 5% of the Fusarium-positive kernels were F. verticillioides. In 2005, maize samples (n = 236) from the 2004 crop were collected from local markets in 20 Departments across Guatemala. The analysis showed that maize from lowland locations was often highly contaminated with fumonisin and was frequently transported to and sold in highland markets. Thus, fumonisin exposure in the highlands will be greatest in groups that obtain their maize in the market place from commercial vendors. Based on a recall study and published consumption data, a preliminary assessment of daily intake of total fumonisins was estimated. Consumption of nixtamalized maize products made from >50% of the maize from commercial vendors in 2005 could result in exposure exceeding the recommended WHO provisional maximal tolerable daily intake.
ISSN:0022-3166
1541-6100
DOI:10.1093/jn/137.12.2723