Early Detection of Aflatoxin B1 Contamination in Stored Corn by Monitoring CO2 Concentration
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Abstract:
The characteristics of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by fungi during corn storage were investigated. The results showed that CO2 concentration was elevated at a constant rate in the storage container upon development of xerophilic Aspergillus glaucus. The CO2 gas production rate accelerated upon development of fungi that show rapid growth and/or are toxigenic. For example, the CO2 gas production rate increased by 4.6 times after 10-day storage when A. flavus was the dominant fungus in the corn sample. Furthermore, the effects of the original dominant fungal groups, fungal growth rate, and storage temperature on CO2 gas production were evaluated during corn storage. The results showed that A. flavus could develop and produce aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in corn samples with different original dominant fungi. AFB1 production of the group with A. flavus as the original dominant fungus was three to seven times higher than that of the other experimental groups, and showed an accelerated CO2 production rate. The production of CO2 gas and AFB1 was significantly affected by fungal growth rate and storage temperature, but the CO2 gas production rate increased in all corn samples contaminated with AFB1. Changes in the CO2 gas production rate occurred more than seven days earlier than when AFB1 could first be detected. Therefore, monitoring of the CO2 gas production rate can be used as an early warning of AFB1 contamination during corn storage.
