Mycotoxins in Corn: Occurrence, Impacts, and Management

By G. Munkvold, Silvina L. Arias, Ines Taschl, C. Gruber-Dorninger. Corn, 2019

116 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Abstract Corn is commonly contaminated with toxic secondary metabolites (mycotoxins) from fungi. Mycotoxins can impact the health of humans and animals consuming corn-based food and feeds. Economic losses associated with mycotoxins occur because of reduced crop yields, loss of crop value, effects on domestic animal productivity, and human health impacts. The most important mycotoxins in corn worldwide are aflatoxins, fumonisins, trichothecenes (especially deoxynivalenol), and zearalenone. These compounds are produced by fungal species in the fungal genera Aspergillus and Fusarium. Species of Penicillium also produce mycotoxins that can occur in corn. Mycotoxins are chemically diverse and capable of inducing a wide variety of acute and chronic symptoms, ranging from feed refusal to rapid death or cancer. Accurate detection and quantitation of mycotoxins is an essential component of the prevention, diagnosis, and remediation of mycotoxin-related problems in livestock and human food. Management of mycotoxin problems requires a multifaceted approach including preharvest and postharvest strategies for preventing mycotoxin development or mitigating the effects of mycotoxins. Technological advances in crop production methods and postharvest handling and treatment of corn continue to enhance the ability of corn producers and processors to diminish the likelihood of unsafe levels of mycotoxins.

Subfields: Cell Biology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Plant Science

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