Fumonisin occurrence in wheat-based products from Argentina

Abstract

Wheat is the most consumed cereal in Argentina by human population. Since fumonisins occurrence in wheat grains and wheat-based products have been reported worldwide, a survey was conducted in order to determine fumonisin contamination in 91 wheat-based products (white wheat flour samples, wheat flour used at bakery products, and whole-wheat flour samples) collected from different retail stores of Rio Cuarto city in Argentina using HPLC-MS/MS. Sixty seven samples (74 %) showed fumonisins contamination. From those samples 16 showed fumonisins levels between LOD and LOQ (between 0.01 to 0.05 ng/g), while fumonisins (FB1 + FB2) levels in quantifiable samples ranged from 0.05 ng/g to 18.9 ng/g. Although FB1 was more prevalent, FB2 was found in higher levels than FB1. Overall, fumonisin prevalence was high, but concentrations were far below the limits set for maize and maize-based products by the EU or USA.