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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Foodborne Toxin Detection and Prevention Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #116824
Title: DETECTION OF WHOLE CORN KERNELS CONTAMINATED WITH AFLATOXIN BY NEAR INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY

Author
item Pearson, Thomas
item Dowell, Floyd
item Wicklow, Donald
item XIE, FENG - KAN ST UNIV, MANHATTAN KS
item Maghirang, Elizabeth

Submitted to: Aflatoxin Workshop
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/27/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Transmittance spectra (500 to 950 nm) and reflectance spectra (550-1700 nm) were analyzed to determine if they could be used to distinguish aflatoxin contamination in single whole corn kernels. Spectra were obtained on whole corn kernels exhibiting various levels of bright greenish-yellow fluorescence. Afterwards, each kernel was analyzed for aflatoxin following the USDA-FGIS Aflatest affinity chromatography procedures. Spectra were analyzed using discriminate analysis and partial least squares regression. More than 95% of kernels were correctly classified as containing either high (>100 ppb) or low (<10 ppb) levels of aflatoxin. Results were similar when using either transmittance or reflectance, and when using either discriminate analysis or partial least squares regression. The two-feature discriminate analysis of transmittance data gave the best results. However, for automated high-speed detection and sorting, instrumentation that utilizes single-feature reflectance spectra may be more practically implemented. This technology should provide the corn industry with a valuable tool for rapidly detecting aflatoxin in corn.