A limited survey of aflatoxins and fumonisins in retail maizebased products in the UK using immunoassay detection.

A total of 27 maize-based products destined for human consumption were collected from retail outlets within the city of Glasgow in the UK and were analysed for the presence of aflatoxins using immunoaftinity column chromatography with fluorescence detection and for fumonisins by competitive ELISA. Aflatoxins were detected at a trace level below 4 in eight (30%) of the 27 samples tested, no sample contained aflatoxins at a high level although one sample of sweetcorn did contain aflatoxins at a level of 5-10 Fumonisins were detected in eight (30%) of the samples at levels from 1 to 8mgkg(-1) and a further eight samples contained fumonisin at a level below 1 mgkg(-1) but above the detectable level. The highest concentration of fumonisins was found in a sample of fine corn meal at 8-12mgkg(-1).