Effectiveness of hermetic technologies in limiting aflatoxin B-1 and fumonisin B-1 contamination of stored maize grain under smallholder conditions in Zimbabwe

There is limited empirical evidence on the efficacy of hermetic storage containers in reducing mycotuxin occurrence in stored maize grain under smallholder field conditions. Levels of aflatoxin B-1(AFB(1)) and fumonisin B-1(FB1) in maize samples collected from hermetic metal silos (148), hermetic grain bags (121) and conventional stores (179) during 2015 and 2016 storage seasons in two rural districts of Zimbabwe were assessed. AFB(1) was determined using high performance liquid chromatography with post-column derivatisation and fluorescence detection, whilst FB1 was determined using direct competitive ELISA. All maize samples collected at harvest in 2015 and 2016 seasons contained FB1 at levels ranging from 10 to 462 mu g/kg and 13 to 537 mu g/kg, respectively. Use of hermetic containers did not seem to have any effect on the development of FB1 in stored maize grain, as there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the increase of FB1 contamination in hermetic and conventional stores. Prior to storage, the levels of AFB(1) in the maize ranged from below the limit of quantitation (LOQ) to 25.0 mu g/kg, whilst levels during storage ranged from