Skip to main content
PMC home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1994 Mar;60(3):847–852. doi: 10.1128/aem.60.3.847-852.1994

Simultaneous occurrence of fumonisin B1 and other mycotoxins in moldy corn collected from the People's Republic of China in regions with high incidences of esophageal cancer.

F S Chu 1, G Y Li 1
PMCID: PMC201401  PMID: 8161178

Abstract

A total of 31 corn samples collected from households in the counties of Cixian and Linxian of the People's Republic of China, where high incidences of esophageal cancer have been reported, were analyzed for fumonisin B1 (FB1), aflatoxin, and total trichothecene mycotoxins. High levels of FB1 (18 to 155 ppm; mean, 74 ppm) were found in 16 of the samples that showed heavy mold contamination. FB1, at lower levels (20 to 60 ppm; mean, 35.3 ppm), was also found in 15 samples, collected from the same households, that did not show any visible mold contamination. The levels of aflatoxin in the samples were low (1 to 38.4 ppb; mean, 8.61 ppb). High levels of total type-A trichothecenes were also found in the moldy corn samples (139 to 2,030 ppb; mean, 627 ppb). Immunochromatography of selected samples revealed that these samples contained T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, iso-neosolaniol, monoacetoxyscirpenol, and several other type-A trichothecenes. The concentration of total type-B trichothecenes in 15 moldy corn samples was in the range of 470 to 5,826 ppb (mean, 2,359 ppb). High levels (3.7 to 5.0 mg/g) of FB1 were produced in corn in the laboratory by five Fusarium moniliforme strains isolated from the moldy corn. These fungi were also capable of forming various nitrosamines (5 to 16 micrograms per flask) in the presence of nitrate and precursor amines.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Full text

PDF
847

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Cheng S. J., Jiang Y. Z., Li M. H., Lo H. Z. A mutagenic metabolite produced by Fusarium moniliforme isolated from Linxian county, China. Carcinogenesis. 1985 Jun;6(6):903–905. doi: 10.1093/carcin/6.6.903. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Chu F. S., Fan T. S., Zhang G. S., Xu Y. C., Faust S., McMahon P. L. Improved enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for aflatoxin B1 in agricultural commodities. J Assoc Off Anal Chem. 1987 Sep-Oct;70(5):854–857. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Chu F. S. Mycotoxins: food contamination, mechanism, carcinogenic potential and preventive measures. Mutat Res. 1991 Mar-Apr;259(3-4):291–306. doi: 10.1016/0165-1218(91)90124-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Gelderblom W. C., Jaskiewicz K., Marasas W. F., Thiel P. G., Horak R. M., Vleggaar R., Kriek N. P. Fumonisins--novel mycotoxins with cancer-promoting activity produced by Fusarium moniliforme. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 Jul;54(7):1806–1811. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.7.1806-1811.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Gelderblom W. C., Thiel P. G., van der Merwe K. J. Metabolic activation and deactivation of fusarin C, a mutagen produced by Fusarium moniliforme. Biochem Pharmacol. 1984 May 15;33(10):1601–1603. doi: 10.1016/0006-2952(84)90280-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gough T., Webb K. Mass spectrometric determination of volatile N-nitrosamines after screening by the Coulson electrolytic detector. IARC Sci Publ. 1978;(18):141–150. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hsia C. C., Wu J. L., Lu X. Q., Li Y. S. Natural occurrence and clastogenic effects of nivalenol, deoxynivalenol, 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol, 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol, and zearalenone in corn from a high-risk area of esophageal cancer. Cancer Detect Prev. 1988;13(2):79–86. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Jackson M. A., Bennett G. A. Production of fumonisin B1 by Fusarium moniliforme NRRL 13616 in submerged culture. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1990 Aug;56(8):2296–2298. doi: 10.1128/aem.56.8.2296-2298.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Jaskiewicz K., Marasas W. F., Taljaard J. J. Hepatitis in vervet monkeys caused by Fusarium moniliforme. J Comp Pathol. 1987 May;97(3):281–291. doi: 10.1016/0021-9975(87)90092-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Ji C., Li M. H., Li J. L., Lu S. J. Synthesis of nitrosomethylisoamylamine from isoamylamine and sodium nitrite by fungi. Carcinogenesis. 1986 Feb;7(2):301–303. doi: 10.1093/carcin/7.2.301. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Lee R. C., Wei R. D., Chu F. S. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for T-2 toxin metabolites in urine. J Assoc Off Anal Chem. 1989 Mar-Apr;72(2):345–348. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Lu F. X., Jeffrey A. M. Isolation, structural identification, and characterization of a mutagen from Fusarium moniliforme. Chem Res Toxicol. 1993 Jan-Feb;6(1):91–96. doi: 10.1021/tx00031a014. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Luo Y., Yoshizawa T., Katayama T. Comparative study on the natural occurrence of Fusarium mycotoxins (trichothecenes and zearalenone) in corn and wheat from high- and low-risk areas for human esophageal cancer in China. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1990 Dec;56(12):3723–3726. doi: 10.1128/aem.56.12.3723-3726.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Marasas W. F., Kriek N. P., Fincham J. E., van Rensburg S. J. Primary liver cancer and oesophageal basal cell hyperplasia in rats caused by Fusarium moniliforme. Int J Cancer. 1984 Sep 15;34(3):383–387. doi: 10.1002/ijc.2910340315. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Norred W. P. Fumonisins--mycotoxins produced by Fusarium moniliforme. J Toxicol Environ Health. 1993 Mar;38(3):309–328. doi: 10.1080/15287399309531720. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Ohshima H. III.3.b GC-TEA determination of N-nitrosoproline in urine to provide an index for endogenous N-nitrosation. IARC Sci Publ. 1983;(45):333–341. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Thiel P. G., Marasas W. F., Sydenham E. W., Shephard G. S., Gelderblom W. C. The implications of naturally occurring levels of fumonisins in corn for human and animal health. Mycopathologia. 1992 Feb;117(1-2):3–9. doi: 10.1007/BF00497272. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Xu Y. C., Zhang G. S., Chu F. S. Radioimmunoassay of deoxynivalenol in wheat and corn. J Assoc Off Anal Chem. 1986 Nov-Dec;69(6):967–969. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Yang C. S. Research on esophageal cancer in China: a review. Cancer Res. 1980 Aug;40(8 Pt 1):2633–2644. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Zhu B., Jeffrey A. M. Fusarin C: isolation and identification of two microsomal metabolites. Chem Res Toxicol. 1993 Jan-Feb;6(1):97–101. doi: 10.1021/tx00031a015. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES