School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
College of Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Toxins (Basel). 2021 Sep 14;13(9):652. doi: 10.3390/toxins13090652.
Fumonisin mycotoxins are a persistent challenge to human and livestock health in tropical and sub-tropical maize cropping systems, and more efficient methods are needed to reduce their presence in food systems. We constructed a novel, low-cost device for sorting grain, the "DropSort", and tested its effectiveness on both plastic kernel models and fumonisin-contaminated maize. Sorting plastic kernels of known size and shape enabled us to optimize the sorting performance of the DropSort. The device sorted maize into three distinct fractions as measured by bulk density and 100-kernel weight. The level of fumonisin was lower in the heaviest fractions of maize compared to the unsorted samples. Based on correlations among fumonisin and bulk characteristics of each fraction, we found that light fraction 100-kernel weight could be an inexpensive proxy for unsorted fumonisin concentration. Single kernel analysis revealed significant relationships among kernel fumonisin content and physical characteristics that could prove useful for future sorting efforts. The availability of a low-cost device (materials~USD 300) that can be used to reduce fumonisin in maize could improve food safety in resource-limited contexts in which fumonisin contamination remains a pressing challenge.
伏马菌素真菌毒素是热带和亚热带玉米种植系统中人类和牲畜健康的持久挑战，需要更有效的方法来减少其在食品系统中的存在。我们构建了一种新颖的、低成本的谷物分选设备，称为“DropSort”，并在塑料谷物模型和伏马菌素污染的玉米上测试了其效果。通过对已知大小和形状的塑料谷物进行分选，我们能够优化 DropSort 的分选性能。该设备可以根据体密度和 100 粒重将玉米分为三个不同的部分。与未分类的样本相比，最重的玉米部分的伏马菌素含量较低。基于每个部分的伏马菌素与体密度特征之间的相关性，我们发现较轻部分的 100 粒重可以作为未分类伏马菌素浓度的廉价替代物。单粒分析揭示了玉米中核伏马菌素含量与物理特性之间的显著关系，这对于未来的分选工作可能很有用。这种低成本设备（材料约 300 美元）的可用性可以降低玉米中的伏马菌素含量，从而提高资源有限情况下的食品安全水平，在这些地区，伏马菌素污染仍然是一个紧迫的挑战。
