Resumen de Occurrence of fungi and mycotoxins in corn silage, Jalisco State, Mexico

Waldina Patricia Reyes Velázquez, Víctor Hugo Isaías Espinoza, Federico Rojo, Cecilia Jiménez-Plasencia, Ernesto de Lucas Palacios, Jorge Hernández-Góbora, Agustín Ramírez Álvarez

• The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition, mold count and mycotoxin contamination of corn silage collected during a six month-period. The results indicated that the chemical composition and the physicochemical parameters evaluated did not show significant variation during the sampling time. Fungal count on RBC ranged from 1.7 x 103 to 9 x 108 CFU/g. Mucor, Penicillium and Aspergillus spp. were the most frequent fungal species in the corn silage. Fusarium count ranged from 1.6 x 103 to 1.6 x 108 CFU/g in Nash Snyder culture media. Aflatoxin B, fumonisins, ochratoxin A, ochratoxin B, deoxynivalenol, and zearalenone were detected throughout the period of corn silage maintenance (100% positive samples). However, only deoxynivalenol levels were higher than the maximum limit recommended by the FDA.