Investigation of the Loss of Parent Fumonisin Mycotoxins during Food Processing

During 2006 and 2007, a total of 64 Thai dried coffee bean samples (Coffeaarabica) from two growing sites in Chiangmai Province and 32 Thai dried coffeebean samples (Coffea canephora) from two growing sites in Chumporn Province,Thailand, were collected and assessed for fumonisin contamination by blackAspergilli. No Fusarium species known to produce fumonisin were detected, butblack Aspergilli had high incidences on both Arabica and Robusta Thai coffeebeans. Liquid chromatography (LC) with high-resolution mass spectrometric(HRMS) detection showed that 67% of Aspergillus niger isolates from coffeebeans were capable of producing fumonisins B2 (FB2) and B4 when grown onCzapek Yeast Agar with 5% NaCl. Small amounts (1-9.7 ng g-1) of FB2 weredetected in seven of 12 selected coffee samples after ion-exchange purificationand LC-MS/MS detection. Two samples also contained FB4. This is the firstrecord of freshly isolated A. niger strains producing fumonisins and the first reporton the natural occurrence of FB2 and FB4 in coffee. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry Volume 55, Issue 23, 14November 2007, Pages 9727-9732Fumonisin B2 production by Aspergillus nigerFrisvad, J.C. Smedsgaard, J. Samson, R.A. Larsen, T.O. Thrane, U AbstractThe carcinogenic mycotoxin fumonisin B2 was detected for the first time in theindustrially important Aspergillus niger. Fumonisin B2, known from Fusariumverticillioides and other Fusaria, was detected in cultures of three full genomesequenced strains of A. niger, in the ex type culture and in a culture of F.verticillioides by electrospray LC-MS analysis of methanolic extracts from agarplugs of cultures grown on several substrates. Whereas F. verticillioides producedfumonisin B1, B 2, and B3 on agar media based on plant extracts, such as barleymalt, oat, rice, potatoes, and carrots, A. niger produced fumonisin B2 best on agarmedia with a low water activity, including Czapek yeast autolysate agar with 5%NaCl. Of the media tested, only rice corn steep agar supported fumonisinThe carcinogenic mycotoxin fumonisin B2 was detected for the first time in theindustrially important Aspergillus niger. Fumonisin B2, known from Fusariumverticillioides and other Fusaria, was detected in cultures of three full genomesequenced strains of A. niger, in the ex type culture and in a culture of F.verticillioides by electrospray LC-MS analysis of methanolic extracts from agarplugs of cultures grown on several substrates. Whereas F. verticillioides producedfumonisin B1, B 2, and B3 on agar media based on plant extracts, such as barleymalt, oat, rice, potatoes, and carrots, A. niger produced fumonisin B2 best on agarmedia with a low water activity, including Czapek yeast autolysate agar with 5%NaCl. Of the media tested, only rice corn steep agar supported fumonisin