5. Conclusions
The increase in quantifiable fumonisin in dried maize grain is
confirmed, more marked in free than in hidden forms, in four out of
the six maize hybrids considered. Major increases were observed
with longer treatments and lower temperature, therefore suggesting
that the exposure time is more important than exposure
temperature, in the studied conditions. Similarly, long dehydration
times can be more effective on starch-related phenomena than
short treatments at T ¼ 95 C, although pre-gelatinisation phenomena
are more evident when T > 100 C is applied (Malumba
et al., 2011). Therefore, it could be speculated that the variation
observed could be more evident when grains have high humidity
and need a longer heat treatment to be dried.