Quantitation and stability of fumonisins B1 and B2 in milk
Maragos, C.M.; Richard, J.L.
Journal - Association of Official Analytical Chemists 77(5): 1162-1167
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-5756 PMID: 7950418 Document Number: 429925
The well-documented presence of fumonisin mycotoxins B-1 and B-2 (FB-1 and FB-2) in corn raises the possibility that these toxins are carried over into the milk of animals fed with contaminated feed. The presence of FB-1 and FB-2 in milk has not been assessed because of the lack of sensitive analytical techniques for this matrix. Two methods, liquid chromatography (LC) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), were adapted for the analysis of milk. The ELISA, produced commercially for screening corn, required no sample preparation and was reproducible but was of low sensitivity (concentration that inhibits color development by 50% (IC-50), 1200-1600 ng FB-1/mL). The more sensitive LC method involves serial extraction of milk with methanol-acetone and strong anion exchange followed by derivatization with naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde. Recoveries of 50 ng FB-1 and FB-2/mL from unpasteurized and unhomogenized milk were 84 and 83%, respectively (limit of detection, 5 ng/mL). Recoveries of FB-1 from whole homogenized milk (76%) were slightly lower. Heating milk for 30 min at 62 degree C, to mimic pasteurization, did not significantly reduce FB-1 or FB-2 recovery, nor did storing milk for 11 days at 4 degree C. The LC method was applied to 165 samples of milk, only 1 of which was positive. This finding suggests that exposure of humans to FB-1 and FB-2 from milk is low.