A total of 82 feed manufacturers located within seven midwestern states (Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan) participated in a survey of mold and mycotoxin contamination of corn. Samples were submitted from a composite of the grading samples taken from each incoming load of corn. The survey was initiated in July 1988. During the 12-mo period, moisture content of the co...

The conversion of zearalenone by various microorganisms was studied. A new polar metabolite was formed in addition to alpha- and beta-zearalenols. The structure of the new metabolite was determined as zearalenone-4-O-sulfate conjugate on the basis of enzymatic and acid hydrolysis, followed by mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, and infrared spectroscopic analysis. The results obtaine...

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi that cause a toxic response when ingested by animals or man. Demand of natural fur, such as those from rabbit and chinchilla, produced under controlled conditions, has increased worldwide. The toxicogenic mycoflora contaminating feeds for these animals was enumerated and identified. Six of the major mycotoxins implicated in anim...

Zearalenone (ZEN) is an estrogenic mycotoxin produced by several Fusarium species, which can contaminate food and feed. These compounds elicit a wide spectrum of toxic effects, including the capacity to alter normal immune function. In this study, the in vitro effects of the treatment of ConA-stimulated splenic lymphocytes with ZEN (0-25 μg/mL) were examined. ZEN modulates the expression of IL-...

The mycoflora, levels of afllatoxins and the presence of ochratoxin A and zearalenone in nuts of Cola acuminata and C. nitida were determined immediately after curing and after 3, 6 and 9 months of storage in leaf-lined baskets. Five field fungi and 11 storage fungi were isolated. Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium were the predominant genera. None of the target toxins was detected immediate...

Fusarium fungi are common plant pathogens causing several plant diseases. The presence of these molds in plants exposes crops to toxic secondary metabolites called Fusarium mycotoxins. The most studied Fusarium mycotoxins include fumonisins, zearalenone, and trichothecenes. Studies have highlighted the economic impact of mycotoxins produced by Fusarium. These arrays of toxins have been implicat...

Maize is frequently infected by the Fusarium species producing mycotoxins. Numerous investigations have focused on grain maize, but little is known about the Fusarium species in the entire plant used for silage. Furthermore, mycotoxins persist during the ensiling process and thus endanger feed safety. In the current study, we analyzed 20 Swiss silage maize samples from growers' fields for the i...

Zearalenone is a mycoestrogen that is produced in the fungi Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium equiseti, and Fusarium crookwellense. These fungi commonly exist in agricultural products. Human pregnane X receptor (hPXR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that regulates the expression of numerous hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes, including several clinically important cyto...

The aim of the study was to neutralize zearalenone by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) such as Lactococcus lactis and Bifidobacterium sp. and investigate the mechanism of zearalenone (ZEA) binding. Neutralization of ZEA by LAB was confirmed by identification of binding kinetics and spectroscopic studies such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ioniz...