Hydrothermal treatment of naturally contaminated maize in the presence of sodium metabisulfite, methylamine and calcium hydroxide; effects on the concentration of zearalenone and deoxynivalenol.

Fusarium toxin-contaminated ground maize was hydrothermally treated in the presence of different combinations of chemicals in order to simultaneously reduce zearalenone (ZEA) and deoxynivalenol (DON) concentrations. Treatments were carried out in a laboratory conditioner at 80 °C and 17 % moisture. Six different treatments were performed, consisting of 3 doses of methylamine (MMA; 2.5, 5 and 10 g/kg maize) at a constant dose of 5 g sodium metabisulfite (SBS)/kg, either with or without the addition of 20 g calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2)/kg. The used maize was contaminated with approximately 45.99 mg DON/kg and 3.46 mg ZEA/kg. Without the addition of Ca(OH)2, DON reductions reached approximately 82% after 1-min treatment and the toxin disappeared nearly completely after 10 min when 2.5 or 5 g MMA were applied. ZEA concentrations were only marginally affected. In the presence of Ca(OH)2, reductions in DON concentrations were lower, but were enhanced by increasing doses of MMA. ZEA concentrations were reduced by 72, 85 and 95% within the first 5 min of the treatment at MMA dosages of 2.5, 5 and 10 g/kg maize, respectively. The application of SBS in combination with a strong alkaline during hydrothermal treatment seems to be a promising approach to simultaneously decontaminate even high amounts of DON and ZEA in ground maize and may contribute to reduce the toxin load of diets.