1. Introduction Corn ranks among the most globally cultivated cereals, with the production of more than 1200 million tons in the 2022/2023 harvest, mainly concentrated in the United States, China, and Brazil [1]. In Brazil, corn is the second most produced grain, following soybeans. For the 2023/2024 harvest, the estimated production in Brazil will exceed 118 million tons [2]. In the Brazilian market, the diversity of corn cultivars is substantial, whereby 98, 259, and 98...
Mycotoxins are produced by fungi and can lead to sickness in humans and animals, which explains why testing for them in crops, feeds, and food products is so important and is often a regulatory and customer requirement. Fortunately, testing technologies have evolved from slow, tedious, and complicated to smart, fast, and data connected. Tests vary in their performance capabilities and suitability for field, process, or lab environments. With a number of different options, you may be...
Introduction Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites in certain molds that grow in raw material feed or commercial feed [1]. Mycotoxins have been reported to cause economic loss, disease in livestock and humans, and even death [2]. Five mycotoxins, aflatoxin, fumonisin, ochratoxin, trichothecene and zearalenone, have been reported to be dangerous to the body. Aflatoxins and ochratoxins are examples of mycotoxins whose toxicity levels are higher than others [3]. Aflatoxins and...
1 - INTRODUCTION Fusarium graminearum (teleomorph Gibberella zeae) is an ascomycete fungal pathogen and the main causative agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB), or scab disease, on wheat. F. graminearum infects wheat floral tissues at flowering (anthesis), secreting many cell wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs), other proteins and metabolites as well as mycotoxins that contaminate the developing grain, rendering it unsuitable for both human and livestock consumption (McMullen et al.,...
Introduction Wheat grains are important staple foods consumed worldwide. They are used as animal feeds, ingredients in food processing, or in the brewing industries (Giraldo et al. 2019). However, pre-and post-harvest colonisation by mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins can occur depending on pre-harvest weather conditions and whether effective drying regimes have been applied for safe storage (Aldred and Magan 2004). Fusarium graminearum is predominantly responsible for...
Introduction Fusarium graminearum is a globally important pathogen causing Fusarium head blight (FHB), a devastating disease of cereals worldwide which can be caused by several Fusarium spp. The pathogen has biotrophic and necrotrophic (saprophytic) growth phases [1] that require adaptation to different environments like soils, plant debris, and living plants. The fungus is responsible for yield losses and contamination of the grains with mycotoxins; mainly deoxynivalenol (DON)...
Introduction Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a global disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), causing severe epidemics in Brazil, the USA, Canada, China and Europe over recent years [1]. FHB is caused by the Fusarium species of hemibiotrophic fungi, with F. graminearum being the most prevalent worldwide [2]. In wheat, the characteristic symptom of FHB is the bleaching of infected spikelets prior to senescence [3]. This bleaching can spread from the...
Introduction Aspergillus is a filamentous fungus that produces mycotoxins (secondary metabolites), the main contaminants of food and cause adverse effects on human and animal health. The consumption of these toxins may lead to immunosuppressive, mutagenic, and carcinogenic diseases [1]. Various species of the genus Aspergillus produce aflatoxins such as Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus A. nomius, A. pseudotamarii, A. bombycis, and A. ochraceoroseus [2,...
Introduction Maize ( Zea mays L.) is the most important cereal crop before wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) and rice ( Oryza sp.) for worldwide production. In Northwestern (NW) Europe, maize cultivation started on a large scale with the upcoming of hybrid cultivars in the 1960s. However, in the 500 years since Columbus’ voyages, a great array of landraces were cultivated in NW Europe which descended mainly from Northern flints introduced from...
1. Introduction Fusarium of the spike is the main disease of cereal plants worldwide. The disease can lead to a significant reduction in yield (up to 30%) and quality in the form of atrophy, weight loss and discoloration. Fusarium also produces mycotoxins, which can adversely affect livestock and human health [1]. Early and rapid detection, monitoring of the development of the disease are the bases for the control of Fusarium and the mycotoxins it produces in seeds. Currently,...
Mycotoxins in food tend to occur when specific molds and environmental conditions coexist. To ensure your operation is set up for success, testing should take place as early as possible. “Testing throughout the entirety of the supply chain—from farm to factory to finished foods—is critical because of the insidious...
In the realm of food safety, mycotoxins present a significant challenge to manufacturers, processors, and regulatory bodies alike. These toxic compounds, produced by certain fungi under specific environmental conditions, can contaminate various food and feed products, posing serious health risks to consumers and...
Introduction Modern maize, belonging to the genus Zea, was domesticated in southern Mexico 9000 years ago from wild, annual tropical grasses called teosintes, with the primary ancestor being Parviglumis (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis) which survives today in the wild (Matsuoka et al., 2002). There are additional species of teosintes that continue to grow in the wild in Mexico and Central America including the perennial Zea diploperennis (Iltis and Doebley, 1980). Following its...
INTRODUCTION Maize (Zea mays L.) is a staple food in many parts of the world including sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In Nigeria and some other West African countries, it is traditionally transformed by submerged fermentation to ogi – a complementary weaning food for infants and young children, convenient food for the sick, convalescent and elderly or quick breakfast mostly for those living in rural areas characterized by low income (Onyekwere et al., 1989; Steinkraus,...
In 2023 mycotoxins semiannual survey, Life Rainbow Biotech randomly collected 152 feed samples of raw materials and feed mills in farms and analyzed. The samples were tested for aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, and G2), zearalenone, fumonisins (B1, B2, and B3), and deoxynivalenol (DON) by the ELISA Mycotoxin analysis kit. Contamination in animal feed 152 feed samples collected, and 77% were contaminated with fumonisins ( table 1 ). The maximum concentrations of aflatoxins,...
INTRODUCTION Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe [teleomorph: Gibberella zeae (Schwein.) Petch], is an economically important disease of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) that has resulted in massive commercial losses (Wilson et al., 2018). F. graminearum is capable of producing multiple, type B trichothecene mycotoxins [Deoxynivalenol (DON), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3ADON), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15ADON), nivalenol (NIV), and 4-acetylnivalenol (4-ANIV)],...
INTRODUCTION Maize (Zea mays) is one of the main sources for food and feed production in the world (Chulze, 2010). In 2017, more than 197 million hectares were grown with maize worldwide resulting in production yield of 1.13 billion tons of maize (FAOSTAT, 2020). Ensuring the quality and safety of maize for feed and food production is essential. One of the major quality and safety concerns is infection of the maize plants with fungi and the contamination of maize kernels with...
Discover how Fumo-V™ ONE, the latest innovation in feed testing technology, simplifies both on-site and lab-based analysis of complex finished feed. Haer what Carlton Skipper, SE Sales Representative at VICAM, has to say about it...
Join Lanny Smith, Global Sales Manager at VICAM, as he unveils how VICAM sets itself apart in the realm of mycotoxin testing solutions for the feed chain....
Explore the world of mycotoxin detection with Colin Lee, VICAM Canada Sales Representative, as he sheds light on the innovative use of immunoaffinity columns...