Fumonisins, which possibly carcinogens are a family of mycotoxins produced by the Fusarium species that grow on agricultural commodities in the field or during storage. A total number of 106 representative samples [12 unprocessed (raw) corn, 46 corn based products; (snacks and corn flakes), 10 pop corn, and 38 wheat and wheat products] were collected during a 6 month period (1/2004 to 6/2004) and analyzed for total fumonisins. All samples were randomly selected from the local markets in Assiut Governorate, Egypt during its validity periods. Fumonisins were determined with competitive direct enzyme–linked immunosorbant assay (CD-ELISA). Fumonisins were detected in all analyzed samples (100%). Its mean values were 7.55 ± 3.16 and 8.21 ± 1.26 mg/kg and ranged from 3.5 to 14.1and 5.7 ± 10.3 mg/kg in raw corn and pop corn, respectively. Corn based products; snacks and flakes from eight sources contained fumonisins with mean values ranging from 6.54 ± 0.59 to 10.78 ± 1.98 mg/kg. The minimum and maximum fumonisin concentrations varied from 5.6 to 7.4 and 7.2 to 16.4 mg/kg in corn based products; snacks and flakes from the different sources, respectively. Fumonisins content varied from 3.8 - 6.2 mg/kg in wheat grains with a mean value of 4.89 ± 0.88 mg/kg. Its mean values in flour, semolina, fine shorts and fine bran were within the levels in grains, while higher values were found in coarse shorts (5.42 ± 0.68 mg/kg) and wheat products (6.38 ± 1.44 mg/kg). The present study indicated that the recorded fumonisin mean values in all analyzed samples exceeded the recommended maximum levels for total fumonisins by FDA (2001). Therefore, it is very essential to continuously monitor fumonisins in cereal, legumes and its products to see if a downward trend would be taken to minimize its occurrence.

Heavy metals may cause deleterious effects on human health upon ingestion of foodstuffs contaminated with unsafe levels. This was our motivation to determined the concentrations of heavy metals; lead, cadmium, nickel, manganese and zinc in some of cereal grains and wide variety of foodstuffs in Assiut Governorate, Egypt. The obtained data revealed that wheat grains contained the highest level of lead, while peanut contain the highest mean values of Ni, Mn and Zn. Cadmium could not be detected in all analyzed cereal grains and peanut samples. Mean values of Pb in snack sources ranged from 0.051 ± 0.057 to 9.81 ± 0.472 mg/kg, while Cd mean values ranged from 0.092 ± 0.16 to 0.544 ± 0.83 mg/kg. The maximum levels of Ni, Mn and Zn in the different snack sources ranged from 2.69 - 5.38, 5.00 - 32.22 and 19.80 - 49.24 mg/kg, respectively. Pb and Cd levels ranged from 1.526 - 2.104 and 0.044 - 0.640 mg/kg in pop corn, respectively. Ni, Mn and Zn levels in pop corn samples ranged from 1.28 to 6.19, 4.95 to 16.48 and 12.50 to 43.02 mg/ kg, respectively. Both Pb and Cd could not be detected in corn flakes samples. However, the highest levels of Zn in comparison with that of pop corn and baby food samples were recorded. All baby food samples contained Pb levels that vary from 2.47 to 3.58 mg/kg and, Cd levels that were non-detectable to 0.78 mg/kg. On the other hand, baby food samples had the highest level of Mn followed by pop corn then corn flacks. Wheat flour (72% extraction) contains the lowest mean value of Pb and Ni comparing with the other wheat milled fractions. However, the highest mean values of both elements were found in fine bran. Cd was not detected in all wheat mill fractions. Concerning the health hazards to the consumers especially in early life, none of corn samples exceed the recommended limit of Pb, but all wheat and peanut samples exceed maximum Egyptian permissible limit. Snacks were highly contaminated with Pb because five sources (43.75% from total samples) contain levels above the maximum Egyptian limit. All wheat-based products (Baby foods) and milled wheat fractions and 33% of pop corn exceed the limit for their Pb content. About 47.7% of tested snacks, 33.3% of baby foods and 16.7% of pop corn samples have Cd levels above 0.1 mg/kg, which is the maximum Egyptian permissible limit. The study indicates that snacks as corn products, wheat and its fractions, and peanut showed high levels of Pb, in addition to Cd in snacks. Health hazards of these metals are fully discussed.