AFLATOXIN, ASPERGILLUS, MAIZE, AND THE RELEVANCE TO ALTERNATIVE FUELS (OR AFLATOXIN: WHAT IS IT, CAN WE GET RID OF IT, AND SHOULD THE ETHANOL INDUSTRY CARE?)

Abstract

The contamination of agricultural commodities by Aspergillus flavus and its subsequent production of aflatoxin is a well-known problem. The resulting aflatoxin contamination, if undetected, results in fatal health issues for both humans and animals. To prevent these effects regulatory limits on aflatoxin levels are enforced both domestically and internationally. These regulations result in the loss of contaminated commodities, which is an economic hardship to producers and local and national economies. Multiple relationships between fungi, substrate, and the environment have been investigated in efforts to design strategies to reduce the economic and health impacts associated with aflatoxin, including investigations of the life cycle of Aspergillus, fungal vectoring, fungal pathogenicity, biocontrol, host resistance, and decontamination of the infected crops. However, due to the complicated interactions of environment, host, and pathogen, the Aspergillus-host interaction is still poorly understood; thus, Aspergillus infection and aflatoxin production remains a pressing agricultural issue. As the demand for alternative fuels increases, the importance of a mechanism that can reduce aflatoxin contamination and the impact of failure to accomplish this become more critical to our nation and the world at large. In this review the relationships among aflatoxin biosynthesis, stability, Aspergillus ecology, biocontrol, and host resistance are discussed, specifically as they relate to maize, and the increasing demand for ethanol.

Keywords:

• aflatoxin
• Aspergillus flavus
• corn

Acknowledgments

This work was approved for publication as Journal Article No. J-11372 of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Mississippi State University.