Occurrence and postharvest strategies to help mitigate aflatoxins and fumonisins in maize and their co-exposure to consumers in Mexico and Central America

Maize is the main dietary cereal in Mexico and Central America, with annual per capita consumption between 25.5 116.34 kg. Unfortunately, maize highly susceptible to fungal infestation field, either through systemic infections or wounds caused by farm equipment, birds insects. Field infestations can be exacerbated bad postharvest handling practices. Proliferation of fungi on grains alter physical appearance, taste chemical composition, including accumulation toxic metabolites known as mycotoxins. Such also found other crops that are essential diet population this region, beans, rice chili peppers. grown America mainly contaminated mycotoxins belonging aflatoxins (AFs) fumonisins (FBs) groups, produced Aspergillus Fusarium, respectively. These public health concern because they induce negative impacts cancer humans animals. AFs FBs levels up 2630 3861 μg/kg, respectively, have been reported region 2017 2021. more than 380 times higher established maximum levels. Pre- post-harvest strategies help mitigate mycotoxin contamination grain. Pre-harvest management include use tolerant germplasm, good agronomic management, biological control. Post-harvest all practices from harvest until consumption. This review examines predisposing factors, prevalence, co-occurrence America. We discuss common practices, recommended reduce contamination, optimum grain drying (to decrease moisture content below 14%); sorting (with potential 40–95%); conditioning agents, quality-management, hermetic storage technologies optimization conditions. The effects processing, baking, roasting, popping, nixtamalization reducing (15–80% for AFs, 17–100% FBs) reviewed. highlights widespread problem urgent need new research paradigms inform mitigation region.