Fate of Fusarium mycotoxins during processing of Nigerian traditional infant foods (ogi and soybean powder)

Abstract

The influence of processing methods used to produce traditional Nigerian infant foods (ogi and processed soybean powder) on four European Union regulated Fusarium mycotoxins using naturally and artificially contaminated raw materials was studied using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Generally, there was a significant reduction of all the mycotoxins when compared to the initial concentration of the raw materials. Reduction in concentrations of the mycotoxins during ogi-processing started immediately after 36 h' steeping/fermentation for all the mycotoxins (fumonisin B₁, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, and T-2 toxin), and proceeded along the process chain (milling and sieving). In addition, deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (16 ± 3.2 μg/kg) and 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (9 ± 5.5 μg/kg) initially absent in the raw maize were detected in the final ogi product. β-zearalenol, hydrolysed fumonisin B₁, and HT-2 toxin were also detected at varying concentrations. Regarding soybean processing, a similar trend was observed with fumonisin B₁, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, and T-2 toxin, irrespective of the method used or the initial concentration. Other mycotoxins detected in soybean product include 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol, 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol, deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside, HT-2 toxin, neosolaniol, α-zearalenol, β-zearalenol, and zearalenone-14-glucoside. Although there was a reduction in the concentration of the free mycotoxin because of processing, other mycotoxins were detected in the products and thus, may present an additional health risk on consumers.

Keywords: Food processing; Fusarium mycotoxin; Maize; Modified mycotoxin; Nigeria; Soybean.