Treatment of freshly harvested 1980 Georgia dent corn samples collected for aflatoxin analysis

In 1980, corn was harvested from six 15-ft rows in each of 67 fields in Georgia for aflatoxin analysis. Every sixth ear from each field was placed in a sample bag to be dried the day of collection. The rest of the corn was husked and shipped to Peoria in cardboard boxes. When undried ear samples arrived in Peoria, each sample was randomly separated into 5 equivalent subsamples. One set of 67 subsamples was shelled and dried as soon as possible to avoid further aflatoxin formation. Two other sets of 67 subsamples were stored 3 and 6 weeks before shelling and drying. The remaining 2 sets of ear samples were placed in plastic bags with 5% Monoprop (1 part propionic acid plus 1 part versite) and stored 3 and 6 weeks before shelling and drying. The samples dried in Georgia before shipping had an average total aflatoxin level of 217 ng/g. Samples shelled and dried immediately after arrival had an average level of 202 ng/g. Samples shelled and dried after 3 and 6 weeks of storage had average total aflatoxin levels of 417 and 387 ng/g, respectively. Samples stored 3 and 6 weeks in the presence of 5% Monoprop (2.5% propionic acid) had average total aflatoxin levels of 120 and 157 ng/g, respectively.