Fumonisins in infant cereals marketed as complementary food in Argentina

• Published in: Food additives & contaminants Part B, Surveillance communications Surveillance communications, 2024-10, Vol.18 (1), p.48-54
• Main Authors: Cendoya, Eugenia, Nichea, María J., Romero Donato, Cindy J., Zachetti, Vanessa G. L., Monge, María del Pilar, Ramirez, María L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Argentina; Cereals; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Contamination; Corn; Edible Grain - chemistry; Food; food contamination; Food Contamination - analysis; fumonisin; Fumonisins - analysis; fungi; Humans; Infant; infant cereal; Infant Food - analysis; Infants; mycotoxins; Triticum - chemistry; Wheat; Zea mays - chemistry
• ISSN: 1939-3210; 1939-3229; 1939-3229
• DOI: 10.1080/19393210.2024.2411278

Infant cereals are typically the first foods introduced as complementary foods. Cereals used to elaborate complementary foods, such as wheat, maize and rice, are susceptible to mycotoxin contamination. Among mycotoxins, fumonisins have been epidemiologically associated, in humans, with oesophageal cancer, neural tube defects and stunting. Fumonisins have been found in maize and wheat grains in Argentina. In the present study, a survey was conducted to determine their occurrence in 82 wheat-based and multicereal-based infant cereal items collected from retail stores in Rio Cuarto, Argentina, using HPLC-MS. Of these samples, 84% showed FBs contamination with levels ranging from 0.05 to 992 μg/kg). Although FB 1 was the most prevalent fumonisin, FB 2 was found at higher levels. Most samples had levels below the limit of 200 μg/kg set for Argentinean cereal products for children. The outcome of this survey provides information on the naturally presence of fumonisin in infant cereal intended for children in Argentina, which can be helpful to consider relevant monitoring programmes.