Natural occurrence of deoxynivalenol, 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol, and zearalenone in refusal factor corn stored since 1972.

Two samples of "refusal factor" corn, one stored frozen in Minnesota and one stored dry in Indiana since 1972 or 1973, were analyzed for the presence of Fusarium spp. and Fusarium toxins. Both samples were from corn refused by swine in Indiana from 1972 to 1973. Sample FS 808 (stored in Indiana) contained 20 ppm of deoxynivalenol (20 micrograms/g), 16 ppm of 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol, 5 ppm of zearalenone, and 0.2 ppm of alpha-zearalenol. Sample FS 362 (stored in Minnesota) contained 3 ppm of deoxynivalenol, 1 ppm of 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol, and 0.3 ppm of zearalenone. The presence of 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol is significant because it is the first report of it occurring naturally in refusal factor corn, and it may account in part for the refusal that could not be solely attributed to deoxynivalenol.