[Aflatoxin contamination of corn samples collected from six regions of China]

To identify the aflatoxins contamination of corn in China.

Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in 279 corn samples collected from 6 provinces or autonomous regions were determined by HPLC.

Aflatoxins were detected in 75.63% of 279 corn samples. The average concentration of positive samples was 44.04 microg/kg, with a range of 0.20 - 888.30 microg/kg. The positive rates of samples from Sichuan, Hubei, Guangxi, Henan, Guangdong and Jilin Provinces were 90.48%, 93.75%, 87.50%, 36.96%, 91.84% and 52.17% respectively, with an average concentration of 107.93, 70.98, 39.65, 8.06, 3.70 microg/kg, and 1.15 microg/kg respectively. AFB1 was detected more frequently and with higher levels than the other three aflatoxins, with a positive rate of 74.55% and an average concentration of 39.64 microg/kg. The positive rate of AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2 was 58.42%, 41.22% and 19.71% respectively, and the average concentration of them was 3.81, 3.47 and 0.51 microg/kg respectively.

Corn samples collected from all six regions are contaminated widely with aflatoxins in various degrees. The contamination of aflatoxins in the South was more serious than that in the North of China. AFB1 is the prominent one among the four aflatoxins.