Silvia Denise Pena Betancourt
Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Unidad Xochimilco. Mexico
Title: The changes in fatty acid profile in maize contaminated with mycotoxins
Biography
Biography: Silvia Denise Pena Betancourt
Abstract
Diet is considered a risk factor in chronic degenerative diseases such as cancer. The Fumonisin are mycotoxins with cancer evidence in animal models and they are classified by IARC as a possible human carcinogen group 2b. These toxins commonly infect cereal crops. Maize (corn) is the principal food cereal consumed by Mexican population as tortillas in significant amounts. The aim of this research was to investigate the fatty acid profile in 40 genotypes of maize with natural fumonisin contamination. The fatty acids profile was performed by gas chromatography and total Fumonisin were determined using the QuickTox TM extraction and quantified by QuickScan. The results showed that linoleic acid increased in hybrid maize contaminated with mycotoxins versus maize not contaminated, in average 7.6% (47.12% vs 39.57% respectively). The oleic acid was the principal loss in hybrid maize (6.62%). 31% of the hybrid maize with fumonisin at average levels in 0.26 ppm (260 ppb), with a range of 0.23 to 1.20 ppm (230-1200 ppb); 22% of native corn with an average content of 0.41 ppm (410 ppb) and a maximum of 1.0 ppm (1000 ppb). In the statistics analysis, a Pearson correlation test was made (Excel) and showed significance between fumonisin and linoleic acid (p >0.05.) The conclusion was the linoleic acid is affected by even in low levels of Fumonisin in both genotypes and 123.5 million people are in risk of chronic exposure to mycotoxins and develop cancer.