OCCURRENCE OF FUMONISINS B-1 AND B-2 IN CORN-BASED PRODUCTS FROM THE SWISS MARKET

Corn-based food and feed products purchased in Switzerland were analyzed for fumonisin B1 (FB1) and fumonisin B2 (FB2) using high-performance liquid chromatography. Forty-four samples (36.7%) of 120 were found positive for FB1 (55-790 ng/g), with only 15 containing detectable levels of FB2 (50-160 ng/g). The highest frequency of positive samples and also the highest FB1 concentrations were found in corn grits (61.8%, 790 ng/g), followed by corn-based poultry feed (27.3%, 48O ng/g). Thirteen corn grits samples (23.6%) were positive for both FB1 and FB2, with mean concentrations of 460 and 100 ng/g, respectively. Of the 22 poultry feed samples examined, 6 were positive for FB1 with an average content of 235 ng/g, while only 2 contained measurable levels of FB2.