Human Dietary Exposure to Fumonisin B1 from Iranian Maize Harvested During 1998–2000

Fumonisin B₁ (FB₁) is the most abundant of the fumonisin mycotoxins, mainly produced in maize by F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum. A previous study on the FB1 contamination of maize harvested in Mazandaran and Isfahan Provinces of Iran in 1998 and 1999 demonstrated contamination in both provinces. This present study was undertaken to further investigate the variation in levels of contamination and to estimate possible levels of human exposure to fumonisins in Iran. The mean level of FB₁ in 49 visually healthy maize samples collected from Mazandaran Province during 2000 was 6.14 mg/kg, which is higher than that found during 1998 and 1999 (2.27 and 3.18 mg/kg, respectively). Although these levels are higher than the Iranian legislative limits for fumonisins in maize intended for humans, the relatively low estimated consumption of maize in Iran (3.3 g/person/day) implies that average exposures (0.011 and 0.215 μg/kg body weight/day in Isfahan and Mazandaran, respectively) are within the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake of 2 μg/kg body weight/day set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. Nevertheless, certain sections of the population who may consume higher amounts of maize or who may replace all or some of their consumption of other cereals with maize, could well exceed this limit.     

Occurrence of Ochratoxin A-Producing Fungi in Commercial Corn Kernels in Argentina

Potentially ochratoxigenic Aspergillus and Penicillium species were identified and the natural occurrence of ochratoxin A (OTA) in corn kernels was evaluated. Likewise, the capacity to produce OTA by Aspergillus section Nigri and Circumdati was investigated. A total of 50 corn samples for human consumption was collected in the south of Córdoba Province. The surface-disinfected method for mycobiota determination was used. The OTA detection was performed by HPLC. OTA production was tested in strains belonging to section Nigri and Circumdati. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the specie A. flavus was isolated in higher frequency (p<0.01) from corn kernels in DRBC and DG18 media. The percentage of corn kernels contaminated by A. niger var. niger was similar in DRBC and DG18 media. The frequency of grains contaminated by A. flavus and A. niger var. awamori was higher than A. niger var. niger and A. japonicus var. japonicus (p<0.01) in DG18 media. The other potentially ochratoxigenic species, A. ochraceus, was isolated between 5% and 10% of the corn kernels in DG18 and DRBC media, respectively. The OTA producing species P. verrucosum was not isolated. All samples of corn were OTA negative (<1 ng g⁻¹). Thirty strains (25%) of the black Aspergillus were OTA producers. From four strains of A. ochraceus isolated, only one produced OTA. Due to the storage variable conditions could not be adequate in this substrate, the presence of ochratoxigenic strains of section Nigri and OTA needs to be evaluated for a longer time to establish the toxicological risk for human beings. The contamination of stored corn kernels with A. flavus and Aspergillus section Nigri was significant.     

Scale-up and integration of alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, and ethanolic fermentation

Alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) has several attractive features as a pretreatment in the lignocellulosic biomass‐to‐ethanol pipeline. Here, the feasibility of scaling‐up the AHP process and integrating it with enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation was studied. Corn stover (1 kg) was subjected to AHP pretreatment, hydrolyzed enzymatically, and the resulting sugars fermented to ethanol. The AHP pretreatment was performed at 0.125 g H₂O₂/g biomass, 22°C, and atmospheric pressure for 48 h with periodic pH readjustment. The enzymatic hydrolysis was performed in the same reactor following pH neutralization of the biomass slurry and without washing. After 48 h, glucose and xylose yields were 75% and 71% of the theoretical maximum. Sterility was maintained during pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis without the use of antibiotics. During fermentation using a glucose‐ and xylose‐utilizing strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, all of the Glc and 67% of the Xyl were consumed in 120 h. The final ethanol titer was 13.7 g/L. Treatment of the enzymatic hydrolysate with activated carbon prior to fermentation had little effect on Glc fermentation but markedly improved utilization of Xyl, presumably due to the removal of soluble aromatic inhibitors. The results indicate that AHP is readily scalable and can be integrated with enzyme hydrolysis and fermentation. Compared to other leading pretreatments for lignocellulosic biomass, AHP has potential advantages with regard to capital costs, process simplicity, feedstock handling, and compatibility with enzymatic deconstruction and fermentation. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012; 109:922–931. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Population genetic structure of a specialist leafhopper on Zea: likely anthropogenic and ecological determinants of gene flow

Corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis DeLong & Wolcott (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), is a specialist herbivore on the genus Zea (Poaceae). The genera Dalbulus and Zea evolved in central Mexico. We sought to determine whether population genetic structuring is prevalent in corn leafhoppers inhabiting three of its host plants: (1) the highland species perennial teosinte (Zea diploperennis Iltis, Doebley & Guzman), (2) the mid‐ to lowland‐species Balsas teosinte (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis Iltis & Doebley), and (3) the ubiquitous domesticated maize (Zea mays ssp. mays L.). We used amplified fragment length polymorphisms to detect population structuring and genetic differentiation among corn leafhoppers on the three host plants in western‐central and ‐northern Mexico. Our results showed that corn leafhopper in Mexico is composed of at least two genetically discrete populations: an ‘Itinerant’ population associated with the annual hosts maize and Balsas teosinte, which appears to be widely distributed in Mexico, and a ‘Las Joyas’ population restricted to perennial teosinte and confined to a small mountain range (Sierra de Manantlán) in western‐central Mexico. Our results further suggested that population structuring is not due to isolation by distance or landscape features: Las Joyas and Itinerant corn leafhopper populations are genetically distinct despite their geographic proximity (ca. 4 km), whereas Itinerant corn leafhoppers separated by hundreds of kilometers (>800 km), mountain ranges, and a maritime corridor (Sea of Cortez) are not genetically distinct. Based on our results and on published ethnohistorical and archaeological data, we propose pre‐Columbian and modern scenarios, including likely ecological and anthropogenic influences, in which the observed genetic population structuring of corn leafhopper could have originated and could be maintained. Also, we hypothesize that after evolving on the lowland Balsas teosinte, corn leafhopper expanded its host range to include maize and then the highland perennial teosinte, following the domestication and spread of maize within the last 9 000 years.     

Effects of extrusion and glycerol content on properties of oxidized and acetylated corn starch-based films

Oxidized and acetylated corn starch-based films were prepared by casting with glycerol as a plasticizer. The present study investigated the effects of extrusion prior to film-making and glycerol content on the properties of starch films. The films with extrusion exhibited lower tensile strength, higher elongation at break, higher water vapor permeability and higher oil permeability than those without extrusion. Extrusion reduced heat sealability of the films. With the increase of glycerol content, the films became more flexible with higher elongation at break and lower tensile strength. Water vapor permeability, oil permeability and the range between the onset temperature and the melt peak temperature rose as glycerol content increased. The thermograms indicated that plasticizers and biopolymers were compatible. These results suggested that extrusion did no good to starch films while glycerol content had apparent effect on the mechanical and barrier properties of the films.     

海洋环境来源的淀粉酶AmyP对生玉米 淀粉的降解特性

来自海洋宏基因组文库的 α-淀粉酶（AmyP）属于最新建立的糖苷水解酶亚家族GH13₃7。AmyP 是一个生淀粉降解酶,能有效降解玉米生淀粉。在最适反应条件 pH 7.5和 40 °C 下,生玉米淀粉的比活达到 39.6 ± 1.4 U/mg。酶解反应动力学显示 AmyP 可以非常快速的降解生玉米淀粉。对 1%的生玉米淀粉仅需要 30 min;4%和 8%的生玉米淀粉只需 3 h。DTT 可以显著提高 AmyP 对生玉米淀粉的降解活性,1% DTT 促使活性增加 1倍。根据电镜观察和产物分析,认为 AmyP 是以内腐蚀的模式降解生玉米淀粉颗粒,释放出葡萄糖、麦芽糖和麦芽三糖作为终产物。     

木质纤维素酶高产菌株的筛选及其对玉米秸秆降解效果的影响

为了提高玉米秸秆中木质素的降解率,从腐烂的树枝和土壤中筛选木质纤维素酶高产菌株,以秸秆为唯一C源富集培养后,采用PDA-愈创木酚法进行初筛,筛选出产木质素酶真菌5株,然后以玉米秸秆为主要C源进行固态发酵和复筛。结果表明:第5号菌株在发酵玉米秸秆5 d后,使木质素的降解率达到最高(34.95%),粗纤维的降解率达到20.00%,显著高于其他4种菌株(P<0.05),其羧甲基纤维素酶比酶活达到116.35 U/g;10 d后,其木质素酶比酶活达到最高(45.64 U/g)。     

海洋耐高温酸性α-淀粉酶水解玉米淀粉的研究

为开发适用于工业生产的新型酶制剂,以实验室自主构建的基因工程菌所产的新型海洋耐高温酸性α-淀粉酶为液化酶,以玉米淀粉液化后的DE值为指标,研究影响玉米淀粉的液化的因素,确定该酶水解玉米淀粉的最佳工艺条件。新型海洋耐高温酸性α-淀粉酶最佳的工艺条件为温度85℃、时间90 min、粉浆浓度250 g/L、酶用量32 U/g淀粉。     

玉米秸秆和异Vc钠生产废液固态发酵生产高蛋白饲料研究

以玉米秸秆为原料,以麸皮和异Vc钠生产废液(WEP)为辅料进行生物蛋白饲料固态发酵研究.通过菌种配伍试验,确定了混菌发酵菌种为白地霉、产朊假丝酵母和枯草芽孢杆菌.在此基础上通过单因素优化试验确定了秸秆蛋白饲料的最优发酵条件:以玉米秸秆(5 g)和麸皮(1 g)为基料,4%WEP营养液,固液比1:4(g/mL),初始pH值4.5;以麸皮浸汁作种子培养液,种龄24 h,各菌接种比例为产朊假丝酵母∶白地霉∶枯草芽孢杆菌=3:1:1,接种量2 mL;28℃、静置发酵2 d,在此条件下,秸秆饲料中真蛋白含量为6.21%,比对照提高了23.95%.该研究为秸秆和异Vc钠生产废液的高质化利用提供了新的思路和途径.