Fusarium mycotoxins in corn and corn products in a high-risk area for gastric cancer in Shandong Province, China

Abstract

Consumption of fermented, but not unfermented, corn pancakes has been linked with elevated stomach cancer mortality rates in rural Linqu County in Shandong Province, China. Previous surveys of fungal contamination of corn in China have detected fumonisins, which are mycotoxins produced by Fusarium moniliforme. To determine whether mycotoxins might account for the increased risk of cancer among those consuming fermented pancakes, we obtained specimens of corn, cornmeal, unfermented and fermented pancake batter, and cooked fermented pancakes from each of 16 households in Linqu County for analysis by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Fumonisins B1, B2, and B3 were detected (≥0.5 μg/g) in 19, 25, and 6% of the corn specimens, respectively, as well as in various corn products. No type A trichothecenes were detected; however, the type B trichothecenes deoxynivalenol and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol were detected (≥0.5 μg/g) in 58 and 17% of the corn specimens, respectively, and zearalenone was detected (≥0.5 μg/g) in 15% of the cornmeal specimens. The mycotoxins were detected only at low levels (<10 (μg/g), which did not increase with fermentation. These findings do not support the hypothesis that mycotoxin contamination increases the risk of gastric cancer among those who consume fermented Chinese pancakes.