Raw material and Mycotoxins
Corn

Corn (or maize) is an annual grass first domesticated by indigenous people in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago and was introduced in Europe in the seventeenth century.

Currently, it is the cereal with the highest volume of production worldwide, surpassing even wheat and rice.

The cultivation of Corn was the cause and the consequence of the industrial revolution in agriculture.
Corn increased the capacity of the cultivated area and enabled animal farming on large scales.
Animals were fed with feed containing Corn, which resulted in production of adequate manure needed to fertilize crops.

Corn is a summer crop planted in both hemispheres.

• Corn requires a temperature of 25 to 30ºC.
• It also requires a lot of sunlight and in humid climates its performance is lower.
• For Corn seeds to germinate, the temperature should be between 15 to 20ºC
• It can bear minimum temperatures of up to 8ºC and with temperatures from 30ºC, serious problems can occur due to its poor absorption of mineral nutrients and water.
• Temperatures of 20 to 32ºC are required for Corn fructification.

Mycotoxins found mainly in Corn:

• Aflatoxins
• Ochratoxins
• Fumonisins
• Citrinin
• Deoxynivalenol
• Zearalenone

Authorized and recommended levels of mycotoxins.