Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #74179
Title: FUMONISIN COMPOSITION IN CULTURES OF FUSARIUM MONILIFORME, FUSARIUM PROLIFERATUM AND FUSARIUM NYGAMI

Author
item MUSSER, STEVEN - FDA, WASHINGTON,DC
item Plattner, Ronald

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/23/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Fumonisins are a family of toxic compounds produced by closely related fungi that are often found on grains, especially corn. The principal component, fumonisin B1 is of concern because it causes animals that consume it at high levels in highly contaminated corn to become sick and sometimes die, and it has been reported to be a promoter of tumors in rats. The other members of this family are much less studied, and their role in animal diseases is unknown. In this paper, a survey of a group of strains of the fungus that produce fumonisin B1 were grown on corn in the laboratory, and the total fumonisin composition was determined. Five strains were identified that produce high levels of a newly discovered fumonisin. This new compound has not yet been found in naturally contaminated corn and was only produced in the laboratory under conditions where, after some fungal growth, the oxygen supply was limited. The toxicity of the new compound is not known. The information from this study will guide purification of the new compound for toxicity studies and help establish safe levels for this component in foods and feed.

Technical Abstract: Total fumonisin composition of 22 cultures of Fusaria was determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. All cultures contained primarily FB1-3 and FA1-2 with little or no variation in the relative percentage of each. In addition to the five principle fumonisins, seven other fumonisins were identified in all cultures; however, their concentrations never exceeded 10% relative to FB1. Of the 22 cultures surveyed, only 5 produced the P series of fumonisins. In cultures producing FP1, levels ranged from 20 to 35% of the FB1 produced by the culture. High level production of the P series of fumonisins in culture was found to require anaerobic conditions. In cultures grown aerobically, the level of FP1 never reached more than 2-4% of the FB1; however, cultures grown anaerobically produced levels of 20-35% of FB1.