Letters to the Editor

Abstract

Extract

Madam:— Contamination of maize with Fusarium mycotoxins has resulted in serious outbreaks of disease in humans and animals overseas. Alimentary toxic aleukia in U.S.S.R., red mold disease in Japan and moldy corn toxicosis in U.S.A. are examples. ⁽⁶⁾ In New Zealand Fusarium mycotoxins have been reported as occurring naturally in wheat grain ⁽¹⁾ and pasture grasses, ⁽²⁾ and several mycotoxin-producing Fusarium isolates have recently been reported from pasture grass ⁽³⁾ (Lauren pers.comm.). We now report on the incidence of Fusarium mycotoxins in New Zealand maize samples and on the production of mycotoxins by isolates obtained from maize and maize fields.