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Natural occurrence of fumonisins B1 (FB1) and B2 (FB2), a promoter for hepato-carcinogenesis, was investigated in corn and corn - based products sampled in Japan, Nepal, and China by high - performance liquid chromatographic method. From the 9 imported corn kernel and 6 gluten feed samples, FB1 was detected in 8 corn (0.6 ∼ 4.1μg/g) and all gluten feed (0.3 ∼ 2.4μg/g) samples, while FB2 was found in the same corn (0.3 ∼ 10μg/g) and 3 gluten feed (0.8 ∼ 8.5μg/g) samples. ELISA analysis also revealed the contamination of aflatoxin B1 in 2 corn and all gluten feed samples along with fumonisins. Of 17 corn grit samples, 14 and 5 samples were contaminated with fumonisin B1 and B2, with maximum levels of 2.6 and 2.8μg/g, respectively. As for corn-based foodstuffs marketed in Japan, no significant contamination of fumonisins was observed. Among 24 corn kernel samples in Nepal, 12 and 7 samples were positive for FB1 and FB2, and averaged to 0.6 and 1.6μg/g, respectively. One sample showed the highest fumonisin contents as 4.6 and 5.5μg/g, respectively. In corn samples harvested at Shanghai and Beijing, China, FB1 and FB2 were detected in various concentrations. Mycological survey has also revealed the presence of a fumonisin - producing fungus in a crop field of Japan. These findings have for the first time demonstrated high levels of contamination of fumonisins in corn and corn - based products in Asian countries. Natural co - occurrence of fumonisins and aflatoxin B1 was also detected in raw materials for mixed feed.

Since animal intoxication related to corn-based feed is frequently observed in the State of Paraná, Brazil, natural contamination by fumonisins in 48 corn samples (39 from the State of Paraná, and 9 from the Brazilian tropical states, Mato Grosso do Sul and Goias) harvested in 1990-1991 was investigated, along with fungal flora. The total mould count ranged from 6.3 x 10(2) to 5.5 x 10(7) cfu/g, and Fusarium moniliforme and Aspergillus species belonging to section Flavi were detected in 41 and 33 samples, respectively. Regarding the samples from the State of Paraná, F. moniliforme was present in 33 samples at a count of 1.0 x 10(2) to 1.6 x 10(7) cfu/g and Aspergillus spp. in section Flavi in 27 samples at 1.0 x 10(2) to 1.0 x 10(6) cfu/g. HPLC analysis of fumonisins in the corn showed that fumonisins B1 (FB1) and B2 (FB2) were positive for 97.4% and 94.8% of samples respectively. All the corn from North Paraná was positive for fumonisins, with average FB1 levels of 4.79 micrograms/g and average FB2 levels of 3.95 micrograms/g: the Central-West region had average levels of 3.30 and 2.52 micrograms/g, and the Central-East had average of 3.25 and 2.34 micrograms/g, respectively. Except for one negative sample all the corn samples from the Central Region were positive for fumonisins, averaging FB1 levels being 5.45 micrograms/g and FB2 levels being 5.09 micrograms/g. Out of eight samples from the tropical state of Mato Grosso do Sul, F. moniliforme was detected in seven and Aspergillus spp. in section Flavi in five samples with average FB1 levels of 10.59 micrograms/g and average for FB2 levels of 10.31 micrograms/g. The samples from Goias were also contaminated with these two fungi, with the FB1 contamination being 5.83 and the FB2 contamination 3.62 micrograms/g.