Occurrence and concentration of mycotoxins in maize dried distillers’ grains produced in Brazil

Abstract

The presence of mycotoxins in dried distillers’ grains with solubles (DDGS), a by-product of bioethanol production from maize, has been a matter of concern due to the increasing global utilisation of this ingredient in animal feed. In this study, 186 samples of maize DDGS produced in Brazil were analysed for the presence of major mycotoxins: aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, and G2), fumonisins (B1 and B2), zearalenone (ZEN), deoxynivalenol (DON) and ochratoxin A (OTA). Samples were provided by the local industry between January 2017 and October 2020, and mycotoxins were quantified by LC-MS/MS. More than 98% of the analysed samples were contaminated with mycotoxins, from which 59.9% had a single mycotoxin, 29.9% two mycotoxins, and 9.1% more than two mycotoxins. The most prevalent metabolites were fumonisin B1 and B2, being detected in 98.8% (mean 3,207 μg/kg) and 97.6% (mean 1,243 μg/kg) of the samples, respectively; aflatoxin B1 had the third highest positivity, with 32.3% (mean 1.47 μg/kg), followed by ZEN, with 18.01% (mean 18.2 μg/kg), DON, with 12.9% (mean 59.6 μg/kg), and OTA was not detected. Co-occurrence of total aflatoxins (AFT = aflatoxin B1+B2+G1+G2) and total fumonisins (FBT = fumonisin B1+B2) was observed in 32.07% of the samples analysed for these mycotoxins. Co-occurrence of AFT and ZEN was found in 7.84% of the samples analysed for such mycotoxins, while FBT and DON co-occurred at 13.01%. AFT, FBT, DON and ZEN co-occurred in only one sample (0.84%). Except for FBT, a considerable number of samples presented the evaluated mycotoxins below their respective limit of quantification (LOQ) with percentages of 67.61% for AFT, 81.99% for ZEN, 87.07% for DON and 100% for OTA. Since the production of bioethanol and its by-products is growing worldwide, including in Brazil, mycotoxicological monitoring of maize DDGS is crucial to identify the effects of mycotoxins occurrence in animal feed formulated with this ingredient.

Prediction of fumonisins B1 and B2 in corn distiller's dried grains with solubles through near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy

“…The authors registered 34.7% positivity for ZEN (average: 167.6 μg kg −1 ), whereas DON (average: 3000 μg kg −1 ) and FBs (average: 1010 μg kg −1 ) were detected in 28.7% and 25.3% of the samples, respectively. Mallmann et al 55 also used HPLC for determination of mycotoxins in 186 samples of corn DDGS originating from Brazilian ethanol plants and feed mills. The assessment disclosed that more than 98% of the samples were contaminated with at least one mycotoxin, with FB 1 and FB 2 being the most prevalent: 98.8% and 97.6% of the analyzed samples, respectively.…”

“…The authors registered 34.7% positivity for ZEN (average: 167.6 μg kg −1 ), whereas DON (average: 3000 μg kg −1 ) and FBs (average: 1010 μg kg −1 ) were detected in 28.7% and 25.3% of the samples, respectively. Mallmann et al 55 . also used HPLC for determination of mycotoxins in 186 samples of corn DDGS originating from Brazilian ethanol plants and feed mills.…”

Foreword – special issue Mycotoxins in Latin America

“…The presence of mycotoxins in by-products of bioethanol industry, such as DDGS, is of concern due to their use as ingredients in animal feed. Mallmann et al (2021) surveyed DDGS samples produced in Brazil for aflatoxins, fumonisins, ZEN, DON and OTA. The study showed that about 99% of the samples were contaminated, 59.9% of which were contaminated with a single mycotoxin, 29.9% with two mycotoxins and 9.1% more than two mycotoxins.…”

Aflatoxin Decontamination in Maize Steep Liquor Obtained from Bioethanol Production Using Laccases from Species within the Basidiomycota Phylum

“…During the production of bioethanol from maize, mycotoxins are practically not degraded and/or eliminated. Even more, several studies have demonstrated that mycotoxins are not present in the produced bioethanol but are three times more concentrated in DDGS [ 12 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]. Additionally, it has been shown that mycotoxins can affect the behaviour of the yeast used during fermentation, decreasing bioethanol yields [ 3 , 18 ].…”

“…In another study carried out on 52 samples from the USA and European countries, Oplatowska-Stachowiak et al [ 29 ] detected up to 16 ng/g of AFB 1 in 75% of the DDGS samples. Recently, contamination levels of around 1.47 ng/g of AFB 1 were detected in 60 out of 186 DDGS samples in Brazil [ 21 ]. In general, AF contamination levels are relatively low.…”