title: Fumonisin contamination and fusarium incidence in corn from Santa Catarina, Brazil.
abstract: In Brazil, the southern region has the highest incidence of esophageal cancer and also the highest production and consumption of corn (Zea mays) products. Corn samples intended for human consumption from the western, northern, and southern regions of the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, had mean total fumonisin B (B(1), B(2), and B(3)) levels of 3.2, 3.4, and 1.7 mg/kg, respectively. Fusarium verticillioides, the predominant fungus in the corn samples, had mean incidences (percent of kernels infected) of 14, 11, and 18% for the three regions, respectively. Additional corn samples intended for animal feed from the southern region had a mean total fumonisin level of 1.5 mg/kg and a mean F. verticillioides incidence of 10%. The fumonisin levels in corn from the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, were similar to the high levels determined in other high esophageal cancer incidence regions of the world.
authors.affiliation: PROMEC Unit, Medical Research Council, P.O. Box 19070, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa. liana.van.der.westhuizen@mrc.ac.za
authors.forename: Liana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van der Westhuizen
authors.forename: Gordon S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Shephard
authors.forename: Vildes M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Scussel
authors.forename: Léa L F
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Hester F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Vismer
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rheeder
authors.forename: Walter F O
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Marasas
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D005506:Food Contamination; D037341:Fumonisins / Q000032:analysis*; D005670:Fusarium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D037341:Fumonisins; C056934:fumonisin B2; C073063:fumonisin B3; C056933:fumonisin B1