Re: Floods may cause grain mold

[Guest guest]

No doubt. And the staff of our Republican US Senator from CO, a

former veterinarian, has told at least a dozen mold victims that we've

referred to his office that they've never heard of the issue.

Personally, I think that a lot of of the consistent messaging

surrounding this issue (mold victims being psychologically ill, etc)

is a result of policy think tank work -- the more I learn about the

art, this smells of PR management that was contracted by either an

agency or corporation that was backed into a corner. I would sure

like to see the email record for the Manhattan Institute on this

subject since '02.

On 11/6/07, MLMJ75@... <MLMJ75@...> wrote:

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> I have been saying this for YEARS: Isn't it funny that it is accepted that

> animals can be mycotically sickened by mold exposure but it is a huge leap

> to think that humans can be too. The link at the bottom of the article is

> interesting. How do they get away with it? Mulvey son

> ________________________________

> Article published Nov 5, 2007

> Floods may cause grain mold

> Contributed by Candace Pollock

> OSU Extension office

> WOOSTER -- As growers wrap up corn harvest this season, they should give

> special attention to fields inundated by floodwaters earlier this year in

> parts of northwest and north central Ohio.

>

> Pierce , an Ohio State University plant pathologist with the Ohio

> Agricultural Research and Development Center, said that corn ears submerged

> in water for a long period of time may have turned moldy, and moldy grain

> may cause health problems in livestock.

>

> " If the grain seems moldy, it's important that growers conduct a toxin

> analysis before feeding it to livestock, " said , who also holds an Ohio

> State University Extension appointment. " There are some concerns that corn

> coming off those fields in flood-damaged conditions and subjected to wet,

> humid conditions may be moldy and toxin-contaminated. "

>

> In Ohio, the three main ear-mold-causing fungi are diplodia, gibberella and

> fusarium. However, when the integrity of the grain is compromised, as was

> the case in some flooded areas, other organisms may colonize and cause

> problems.

>

> Diplodia ear rot is characterized by a thick, white mold that covers the

> entire ear, a shrunken and lightweight ear, and kernels that appear glued to

> the husks. A sign of gibberella ear rot is a pinkish to reddish mold that

> starts at the tip of the ear and progresses to the base. Fusarium ear rot

> covers individual kernels with a white, cottony mold.

>

> All three diseases reduce grain quality, but gibberella ear rot and fusarium

> ear rot also produce toxins that may be harmful to livestock.

>

> Gibberella fungi produce vomitoxin, the same mycotoxin that is also produced

> in head scab in wheat. Hogs are particularly sensitive to vomitoxin, which

> can cause feed refusal at concentrations in grain at around 1 part per

> million. The FDA advisory level for vomitoxin in corn to be fed to hogs is 5

> parts per million and this is not to exceed 20 percent of the diet.

>

> Fusarium fungi produce a mycotoxin called fumonisin. Horses are particularly

> sensitive to fumonisin, and cattle and sheep are relatively insensitive.

>

> Fungi can also produce aflatoxin, another mycotoxin that is potentially

> harmful if fed to livestock. For information on aflatoxin visit OARDC's

> Department of Plant Pathology " Ohio Field Crop Diseases " Web site at

>

http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/ohiofieldcropdisease/Mycotoxins/mycopageaflatoxi\

n.htm.

>

> recommends that growers send samples to toxicology laboratories if they

> feel grain is infected or if they believe infection levels may be high.

>

> For information on ear rot in corn, visit

> http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/ ohiofieldcrop disease/ or

> refer to Ohioline Bulletin 802 at http://ohioline .osu.edu/b802/.

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