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<OL> <LI> Determine the involvement of fumonisins in neural tube defects in areas where corn consumption is high. Develop methodology to quantitatively detect toxins in plant
derived foods and determine the ability of processing methods to reduce toxins in
foods and feeds. <LI>Develop mechanism-based bioassays for assessing the efficacy of
processing methods to reduce toxicity of deoxynivalenol and other toxins in
contaminated foods. <LI>Develop improved biomarkers for fumonisin exposure in plants, animals and humans.
The approaches involve in vivo and in vitro studies using animal and plant models and
epidemiological studies to evaluate human exposure to toxins and risk for mycotoxin
associated diseases. For the processing objective mass balance studies will be
conducted comparing toxin levels in starting material to that in final product. For
other objectives mechanism based bioassays will be developed to assess plant derived
toxins in foods and for assessing the efficacy of processing methods. Plant and
animal models will be used to develop mechanism-based markers of resistance and
susceptibility to disease.