Co-occurrence of mycotoxins in maize and maize-derived food in China and estimation of dietary intake.

A total of 576 samples marketed in China, including maize, maize flour, maize grits and maize meal, was determined for the simultaneous presence of 12 mycotoxins (FB1, FB2, FB3, DON, 3-DON, 15-DON, ZEN, AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2 and OTA) using a validated UPLC-MS/MS for multi-mycotoxin method. DON were the most widespread mycotoxins (63%), followed by FB1 (57%) and ZEN (46%). 78% of the samples was contaminated with at least one of these mycotoxins. Risk assessment indicated that maize and maize-derived food intake does not pose a potential risk for general adult population with respect to individual mycotoxin. However, two or more mycotoxins were detected in 60% of all samples, and a combination of up to seven different mycotoxins was found. A particular attention should be paid to the combined exposure of mycotoxins, in this cases the estimated daily intake might increase greatly due to the high frequency of co-occurrence.