EFS12- Book of abstracts - Contact

SESSION 2: SECONDARY METABOLITES – BIOCHEMISTRY,
BIOSYNTHESIS, FEED AND FOOD SAFETY
P30 - Monitoring fumonisin levels in maize samples
from Italy during 2006–2012
S. Locatelli, C. Lanzanova, N. Berardo, C. Balconi
Consiglio per la ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura - Unità di ricerca per la Maiscoltura (CRA-
MAC); Via Stezzano, 24 - 24126 - Bergamo (Italia)
E-mail: sabrina.locatelli@entecra.it
Maize is a major crop in Italy, where it plays an important role in animal feed, for
direct human consumption and as source of many commercial products. A
number of studies have documented that maize is subject to infection by a variety
of toxigenicity fungi, mainly Fusarium verticillioides in Italy. Available data for the
incidence of fumonisins on maize production in Italy are limited and irregular;
additionally, no national database for collecting information to predict annual risk
exposure is active. Therefore, a systematic effort to monitor the levels of
contaminants in maize grain production is needed. Accordingly, the current study
was undertaken in Northern Italy, the core area of maize production (Piemonte,
Lombardia, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna), to monitor the
occurrence and levels of fumonisins.
A total of 3100 grain samples over a 5-year period (2006–2012) from at least 50
storage centers distributed in the principal maize cultivation areas were collected.
Fumonisin concentrations were measured using ELISA test kits and data
classified in four classes (0–2000, 2000–4000, 4000–8000, >8000 µg/kg). An high
variability in fumonisin distribution between years and different regions was
observed. The average distribution of the 3100 samples tested-over the 5-year
period, indicated a similar percentage distribution (23-32%) between the four
fumonisin concentration classes.
*Research developed in the frame of MICOCER (Regione Lombardia) and
MICOPRINCEM projects (Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali,
MiPAAF).
Keywords: Zea Mays L., Fumonisins, monitoring, Fusarium verticillioides
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