Fumonisin occurrence in wheat based products for human consumption marketed in Argentina

CENDOYA E; NICHEA, M.J; FARNOCHI M. C.; SULYOK M; CHULZE , S.N; RAMIREZ M.L.

Ghent

Congreso; 1st MYCOKEY International Conference Global Mycotoxin Reduction in the Food and Feed Chain; 2017

Universidad de Ghent -Mycokey Project

Abstract: Fumonisins are toxic fungal metabolites produced mainly by Fusarium species. Among all fumonisins, Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is the most significant in terms of occurrence and toxicity. In some human populations consumption of fumonisin-contaminated maize has been epidemiologically associated with esophageal cancer and neural tube defects. Fumonisins are geographically widely distributed and their natural occurrence has been reported mostly in maize, but also in other grains and grain-based products such as wheat, wheat-based foods, semolina, farro, bread and others. This is important since wheat is the most important cereal consumed by the Argentine population. In this country human consumption of products manufactured with wheat, either semolina or breadis much greater than for products made from other cereals. Moreover fumonisin presence in wheat samples has been reported in many countries including Argentina, but there is no available data on fumonisin prevalence in wheat-based products in Argentina. In the present study, 46 wheat-based samples, commonly used for human consumption, were analyzed in order to determinate the presence of FB1 and FB2. Samples (000 flour, 0000 flour, leavening flour, whole meal flour, bran, wheat semolina, and different mixtures for bakery products) were obtained from different local markets at Rio Cuarto city, Argentina in 2015. Mycotoxins were extracted using SAX affinity columns, and analysed by HPLCLC/MS/MS. Fumonisin (FB1 + FB2) contamination was present in 100% of total samples ranging from 0.05 to 18.94 ng/g (Median: 1.43 ng/g) and most of the samples had more FB2 than FB1. All 000 flour samples (12) were contaminated with both mycotoxins and 8 out of 12 had higher levels of FB2 than FB1. Regarding 0000 flour samples, 17 out of 18 samples were contaminated with FB1 and FB2, and 33.3% of the sample presented higher levels of FB2 than FB1. This is the first report of fumonisin occurrence in wheat-based products, used for human consumption, collected from supermarkets in Argentina.