Affinity column clean-up for the analysis of fumonisins and their hydrolysis products in corn

Fumonisins, toxic metabolites of certain Fusarium molds, can be found in corn and corn-based foods at levels sufficient to cause disease in livestock. Widely used methods of analysis involve organic extraction followed by isolation with either C-18 or strong anion exchange columns. An affinity column procedure that simultaneously isolated both intact and hydrolyzed fumonisins from corn is reported. The columns were prepared using two monoclonal antibodies with differing specificities, the first (P2A5-3-F3) bound intact fumonisins, while the second (P2F11-3-H7) bound their hydrolysis products. Corn samples were extracted with methanol/phosphate buffer (80:20, v:v) and the extract was diluted and applied to the affinity column. The recoveries of FBI from corn spiked with 0.5-8.0 ppm averaged 82%. The recoveries of HFB1 over the range 0.25-1.25 ppm averaged 102%. Affinity columns capable of binding both intact and hydrolyzed fumonisins allow for the analysis of both types of toxins simultaneously from a single methanolic extract.