Natural Occurrence of Some Fusarium Mycotoxins in Corn from Low and High Esophageal Cancer Prevalence Areas of the Transkei, Southern Africa

Moldy and healthy corn samples were collected from two opposing human esophageal cancer prevalence areas of the Transkei, southern Africa, during 1985, and screened mycologically. The moldy corn samples were analyzed for the presence of several Fusarium mycotoxins, including deoxynivalenol (DON), diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), moniliformin (MON), nivalenol (NIV), T-2 toxin, zearalenone (ZEA), fumonisins B1 (FBi) and B2 (FB2), and tricarballylic acid [(TCA), a compound present in the structures of the fumonisins]. The healthy corn samples were screened for the presence of FB1 and FB2. High concentrations of DON, MON, NIV, ZEA, FB1, and FB1 were recorded in the moldy corn samples. Statistical correlations between the incidence of Fusarium species and mycotoxin levels, present in the corn samples, agreed with the toxin-producing abilities of the individual Fusarium species. Additional data clearly indicated that significantly higher levels of both FB1 and FB2 were present in the healthy corn samples from the high esophageal cancer rate area than in corresponding samples from the lowrate area. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.