Corn Spills The Beans

Interrogate corn kernels under strobe lights and they may admit aloud that they’re harboring a toxin-producing fungus. Nowadays, Agricultural Research Service scientists with specially programmed computers find such”P>Interrogate corn kernels under strobe lights and they may admit aloud that they’re harboring a toxin-producing fungus. Nowadays, Agricultural Research Service scientists with specially program”>Interrogate corn kernels under strobe lights and they may admit aloud that they’re harboring a toxin-producing fungus. Nowadays, Agricultural Research Service scientists “Interrogate corn kernels under strobe lights and they may admit aloud that they’re harboring a toxin-producing fungus. Nowadays, Agricultural Researc”FONT color=#000000>Interrogate corn kernels under strobe lights and they may admit aloud that they’re harboring a toxin-producing fungus. Nowadays, “ONT color=#000000>Interrogate corn kernels under strobe lights and they may admit aloud that they’re harboring a toxin-producing”NT color=#000000>Interrogate corn kernels under strobe lights and they may admit aloud that they’re harboring”T color=#000000>Interrogate corn kernels under strobe lights and they may admit aloud that ” color=#000000>Interrogate corn kernels under strobe lights and they may a”color=#000000>Interrogate corn kernels under strobe lights”olor=#000000>Interrogate corn kernels under”lor=#000000>Interrogate corn “or=#000000>Interr”r=#000

Share
Favorite
Close

No account yet? Register

ADVERTISEMENT

“Interrogate” corn kernels under strobe lights and they may admit aloud that they’re harboring a toxin-producing fungus. Nowadays, Agricultural Research Service scientists with specially programmed computers find such confessions ring true with 96 percent accuracy.


At grain elevators, inspectors routinely check corn for the fungus Aspergillus flavus. It produces aflatoxin, a hazardous substance that poses health risks if it gets into food or livestock feed.


To check for the fungus, inspectors use a bright greenish yellow fluorescence (BGYF) test.Samples that glow under ultraviolet light are suspect and must undergo lab analysis. As another check, the latest cross-examination idea may fit into a system that would monitor corn on a conveyor belt and divert infected grain.


At the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, Ill., the ARS scientists “interrogated” corn by using Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy (FTIR- PAS). In this process, pulses of infrared light bombard kernels inside a chamber. The resulting heat waves radiate from the corn, sending sound waves to a microphone. Sound, representing different infrared wavelengths, is recorded in a computer database. Infected corn sends out different levels of sound than non-infected corn

Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.

TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.

Start your free account today!

Already have an account?
and continue reading.

Share

Written by:

The Horse: Your Guide To Equine Health Care is an equine publication providing the latest news and information on the health, care, welfare, and management of all equids.

Related Articles

Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with

FREE weekly newsletters from TheHorse.com

Sponsored Content

Weekly Poll

sponsored by:

Which of the following is a proactive measure to protect your horse from infectious equine diseases while traveling?
7 votes · 7 answers

Readers’ Most Popular

Sign In

Don’t have an account? Register for a FREE account here.

Need to update your account?

You need to be logged in to fill out this form

Create a free account with TheHorse.com!