title: Incidence of Fusarium verticillioides and levels of fumonisins in corn from main production areas in Iran.
abstract: A total of 52 corn samples collected in 2000 from four main corn production provinces of Iran (Fars, Kermanshah, Khuzestan, and Mazandaran) were analyzed for contamination with Fusarium verticillioides and fumonisins (FB(1), FB(2), FB(3), and 3-epi-FB(3)). The mean incidence of F. verticillioides (percent of kernels infected) for these four areas was 26.7, 21.4, 24.9, and 59.0%, respectively. The incidence in Mazandaran was significantly (p < 0.05) above that of the other areas. All samples from Mazandaran were contaminated with fumonisins with a mean level of total fumonisins of 10674 microg/kg. In contrast, the incidence of fumonisin contamination above 10 microg/kg was 53 (8/15), 42 (5/12), and 57% (8/14) in the samples from Fars, Kermanshah, and Khuzestan, respectively, and the corresponding mean total fumonisin levels were 215, 71, and 174 microg/kg, respectively. No statistical differences (p > 0.05) were observed in the fumonisin levels of the corn samples from these three provinces, which were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than the fumonisin contamination in samples from Mazandaran.
authors.affiliation: Medical Parasitology and Mycology Department, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Amir
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ghiasian
authors.forename: Amir Hossein
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Maghsood
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yazdanpanah
authors.forename: Gordon S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Shephard
authors.forename: Liana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Der Westhuizen
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: D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D037341:Fumonisins / Q000032:analysis*; D005670:Fusarium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007492:Iran; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D037341:Fumonisins