Aflatoxins and fumonisins in nixtamalized corn dough from El Salvador: A two-year survey

Abstract

Corn is a staple of the Salvadoran diet but is vulnerable to contamination by aflatoxins and fumonisins. While these mycotoxins have been studied in nearby countries, El Salvador lacks similar data, despite over 90 % of its population consuming corn derivatives. This study aimed to monitor aflatoxin and fumonisin levels in nixtamalized corn dough used for making tortillas and assess daily intake for potential exposure. Aflatoxin-positive cases were low at 20 %, with less than 2 % of samples exceeding 10 µg/kg, and none exceeded this limit on average. Fumonisin-positive cases were also low (< 7 %) and only detected in the dry season, with all cases exceeding the maximum limit of 1 mg/kg. The estimated daily intake of aflatoxin exceeded the recommended guidance value of 0 ng/kg body weight per day, varying by locality and season. Moreover, all fumonisin daily intake measurements surpassed the maximum limit of 1 µg/kg body weight per day, showing no seasonal variation. Thus, consuming nixtamalized corn dough contaminated with these mycotoxins poses a potential health risk to Salvadorans.

Keywords: Aflatoxins; El Salvador; Fumonisins; Nixtamalized corn dough.

Graphical abstract

Fig. 1

Variation in quantified aflatoxins (AFT) levels in nixtamalized corn dough based on location and season. Data is shown by year-season, and location, with means indicated inside bars and whiskers representing ± 2 SEM (n = 206 for the rainy season 2023, n = 180 for the dry season 2023–2024). Asterisks denote significant differences between overall location bars (p < 0.01, Student's t-test).