Report warns of cattle potentially fed toxin linked to human health concerns
17/10/2017
The US-based AgCentre report says a $1-a bushel penalty is being attached to grain with “excessive levels” and that some suppliers have blended the corn to reach acceptable levels. “Some contaminated grain is moving directly to feedlots,” it said.
While the level of the toxin is likely to be very small, the US Drug and Food Administration says on its website: “Fumonisins can cause leukoencephalomalacia in horses and pulmonary edema in pigs and have been linked to a variety of significant adverse health effects in other livestock and experimental animals. When provided in the diet at levels of 50 ppm and above, purified fumonisin B1 induced kidney tumors in male rats and liver tumors in female mice.
“Although human epidemiological studies are inconclusive at this time, based on a wide variety of significant adverse animal health effects, the association between fumonisins and human disease is possible.”
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