Fumonisins B1 and B2 and toxigenic Fusarium strains in feeds from the Spanish market

Natural occurrence of fumonisins B1 and B2, incidence of Fusarium species, and capacity to produce fumonisins by Fusarium isolates, were investigated in 50 corn-based samples from Spain destined for animal consumption. Forty-four samples (88%) were found to be contaminated with fumonisins. The levels of contamination were very low, with a mean of 400 ngg in the samples. We investigated the capacity of 11 isolates of Fusarium moniliforme and 19 isolates of F. proliferatum to produce fumonisins. All F. proliferatum isolates and 8 out of the 11 F. moniliforme isolates assayed produced fumonisins on a corn medium. The FB1FB2 ratio in the isolates ranged from 1.1 to 3.5.