Effect of heat drying of corn on the extraction of citrinin.

Experiments were conducted to determine if drying citrinin-contaminated corn at varying temperatures and times either bound citrinin or converted it to a derivative that could not be extracted from the grain. Sterilized whole corn was inoculated with spores of a Penicillium spp. that produces citrinin and was incubated for 8 weeks. Following incubation, the corn was mixed and divided into three portions. In Experiment 1, one portion was dried at room temperature and the other portions were dried at 65 C for either 40 or 72 hr. In Experiment 2, one portion was air-dried and the other portions were dried at 60 C for 24 hr or 100 C for 3 hr. The corn was then ground to a texture suitable for feeding to chicks. Analysis of the corn indicated that temperature or length of drying time had no adverse effects on the extraction of citrinin from the corn. The citrinin was not rendered unextractable by either being bound because of heating or by being converted to a derivative. When fed to chicks for 5 hr, water consumption and urine excretion data indicated that there was no loss of citrinin activity because of method of drying.