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Abstract
A total of 125 maize kernel samples were collected from Hebei province in China during 2011–2013 and were analysed for incidence and contamination levels of fumonisins (FB1 + FB2) by HPLC with fluorescence detection. The incidence of FBs for all samples was 46.4%. The mean contamination level of FBs for the samples collected in 2013 was 706 μg kg−1, which was higher than the levels in 2012 (429 μg kg−1) and 2011 (250 μg kg−1). All samples, except five, exhibited total FB levels below 4000 μg kg−1, which is the maximum limit as set by the European Commission. The probable daily intakes of FBs (0.04 in 2011; 0.07 in 2012; 0.12 in 2013, expressed as μg kg−1 body weight/day) were all within the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake of 2.0 μg kg−1 of body weight/day as set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. Nevertheless, monitoring is needed to prevent and control the potential risk of FB exposure to the consumers.