Assessment of mycotoxin contamination in maize grain under different storage structures in humid tropics

Abstract

Nearly 25% of the world’s cereal harvest is contaminated with mycotoxins each year, and maize stored in warm, humid regions faces the highest risk. This research measured aflatoxin B1, fumonisin B1, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, and ochratoxin A in maize kept for six months in three structures open cribs, polypropylene bags, and hermetic metal silos near Seoul National University during 2022-2023 using a completely randomised design. After 180 days, maize in open cribs had AFB1 of 38.6 µg/kg (above the 10 µg/kg limit), polypropylene bags showed 14.2 µg/kg, while hermetic silos kept levels at 3.1 µg/kg. Hermetic silos reduced total mycotoxin load by 87.3%. These results confirm hermetic storage as an effective safeguard against mycotoxin accumulation.