Thermal stability of moniliformin at varying temperature, pH, and time in an aqueous environment.

Moniliformin (MON) is a widely occurring mycotoxin, produced mainly by Fusarium proliferatum and Fusarium subglutinans in corn, that has been shown to be acutely toxic for various animal species and is a suspected cause of Keshan disease in China. The effects of temperature (100, 125, and 150 degrees C) and pH (4, 7, and 9) on the stability of MON were determined in aqueous buffer solutions at processing times ranging from 10 to 60 min. The percentage of MON reduction was positively related to increasing temperature and pH. MON was most stable at pH 4. After 60 min at pH 4 and 150 degrees C, MON was reduced by only 5%. Heating at pH 10 caused major reduction of MON. After 60 min at pH 10 and 100, 125, and 150 degrees C, MON was reduced by 56, 72, and 83%, respectively. One trial done at 175 degrees C and pH 10 showed that less than 1% MON remained after 60 min of processing.