Distribution Analysis of Twelve Mycotoxins in Corn and Corn-Derived Products by LC-MS/MS to Evaluate the Carry-Over Ratio during Wet-Milling

Abstract

This study investigated the distribution of twelve mycotoxins (aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2; ochratoxin A; fumonisins B1 and B2; deoxynivalenol; nivalenol; zearalenone; T-2 toxin; and HT-2 toxin) in corn and corn by-products (corn bran, cornstarch, corn gluten, corn gluten feed, corn germ, light steep water, and corn steep liquor) produced by wet-milling in Korea. Fifty-two samples were collected from three factories producing cornstarch and other corn by-products. The samples were pretreated on an immunoaffinity column (IAC), and then the levels of the 12 mycotoxins were analyzed simultaneously by liquid chromatography-coupled triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Fusarium mycotoxins were mainly found in raw corn and corn gluten feed samples. Other mycotoxins—such as aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, and HT-2 toxin—were detected in tiny amounts below the limit of quantification (LOQ) in cornstarch, corn germ, and corn bran. Ochratoxin A and nivalenol were mainly carried over into cornstarch. Aflatoxin B1, deoxynivalenol, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, and the fumonisins were concentrated in corn gluten feed. Zearalenone was evenly distributed in all corn by-products except cornstarch during the milling process.

Investigation of total aflatoxin in corn and corn products in corn wet‐milling industry

“…The mean total aflatoxin concentrations of the corn samples in 2018 (2.432 µg/kg) and in 2019 (1.745 µg/kg) analyzed in the present study were lower than the results reported by Hinson and Darkwa (2016) in corn wet‐ milling plant in Mankessım (149.9 µg/kg) and higher than the results reported by Park et al. (2018) in corn wet‐milling plant in Korea (max. 0.2 µg/kg).…”

Occurrence and preventive strategies to control mycotoxins in cereal‐based food

“…Recently, Park et al. (2018) simultaneously analyzed 12 mycotoxins in corn and by‐products of corn during wet milling and found out that AFB1, DON, and FBs were largely transferred to by‐products. Surprisingly, trace amounts of ZEN (up to 20.5 µg/kg) and OTA (up to 0.2 µg/kg) were also detected in corn starch.…”

Effect of Stored Humidity and Initial Moisture Content on the Qualities and Mycotoxin Levels of Maize Germ and Its Processing Products

“…In terms of the distribution of DON in whole corn and milled corn fractions, endosperm, germ and pericarp contains 20, 25 and 55% of the original DON of kernel, respectively [15]. Meanwhile, ZEN is reported to be evenly distributed during the milling process in all corn byproducts except corn starch [16]. It is notable that the most obvious ZEN and DON contaminations occur during the period of preharvest crops.…”