Reduction of Moniliformin During Alkaline Cooking of Corn

Authors

Graciela Pineda-Valdes, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Dojin Ryu, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
David S. Jackson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Lloyd B. Bullerman, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2002

Citation

Cereal Chemistry 79:6 (2002), pp. 779-782

Comments

Copyright © 2002 American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. Used by permission.

Abstract

The incidence of moniliformin (MON) producing Fusarium spp. in selected corn (Zea mays L.) samples from Mexico and the United States and the effects of alkaline cooking and the tortilla manufacturing processes on the reduction of MON were determined. The percentage of infected kernels with Fusariumspp. ranged from 0 to 22% in eight food-grade corn samples, including six from Mexico and two from the United States. Complete (100%) reduction of MON was observed when a naturally contaminated com sample containing 1.4 µg of MON/g of corn was used in a pilot-scale alkaline cooking and tortilla manufacturing process. In a companion laboratory-scale study, using a cultured corn sample containing 17.6 µg of MON/g of corn, a 71 % reduction of the toxin was observed during the process. Alkaline cooking appeared to be an effective method for reduction of MON in corn.