AVALIAÇÃO DE AFLATOXINA E ZEARALENONA EM QUIRERA (CANJIQUINHA DE MILHO) NA REGIÃO DOS CAMPOS GERAIS

Abstract

The maize culture (Zea mays L.) represents 43% of the Brazilian production of grains. As other cereals, the maize is susceptible to the fungus attack, including the ones of the Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium types that can produce secondary metabolites with toxic properties that are called of micotoxinas. The main objective of this work is to characterize, through physicalchemical analysis, commercial samples of grits of maize used in human being and animal feeding; verify the incidence of micotoxinas (aflatoxin and zearalenona) and to characterize the aspects of the region as the climate and the storage and the incidence of micotoxinas contamination. We used 47 samples of grits of maize for animal consumption in 19 cities of the Campos Gerais region - PR. The physical-chemical analysis was done with official methodologies and the micotoxinas analysis through immunological essays. The physicalchemical results were compared with the limits established by the Ministry of Agriculture. Among the 47 samples to animal consumption, 46 presented positiveness for aflatoxin, and just 1 was not in conformity with the Brazilian legislation (maximum limit of 50 parts for billion). The Brazilian legislation does not establish limits for the micotoxina zearalenona, however 51.06% of the samples had presented positiveness for contamination (100-5000 ppb). The samples of broken maize for human consumption presented homogeneity in relation to the physical-chemical parameters that indicates a good selection of raw-material. All the samples analyzed in this work, did not present any contamination by zearalenona, and the level of contamination of all the ones that presented positiveness for aflatoxin, they were below of 20 ppb that is the maximum limit allowed by the Brazilian legislation. The levels of contamination as for the aflatoxin as for zearalenona they indicated that the consumption would not imply in risks to the health. The rain incidence during the harvest of 2005/2006 was low, when compared with the harvests of previous years. Some collection places were improper for storage. The climatic factors and storage can influence consequently in the contamination of grains by fungus and by micotoxinas, during the plantation and the harvest.