What aflatoxin means?
Listen to pronunciation. (A-fluh-TOK-sin) A harmful substance made by certain types of mold (Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus) that is often found on poorly stored grains and nuts. Consumption of foods contaminated with aflatoxin is a risk factor for primary liver cancer.
The main fungi that produce aflatoxins are Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, which are abundant in warm and humid regions of the world. Aflatoxin-producing fungi can contaminate crops in the field, at harvest, and during storage.
Aflatoxins are metabolites produced by toxigenic strains of molds, mainly Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, which grow in soil, hay, decaying vegetation, and grains. Aflatoxin toxicity occurs due to acute or chronic exposure to aflatoxin. The term "aflatoxin" is derived from the name of Aspergillus flavus.
Aflatoxins are produced by molds of the Aspergillus species. Aflatoxins are among the most well-known mycotoxins due to their high level of toxicity in many animals and people.
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There are more than 20 known aflatoxins, but the four main ones are aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), aflatoxin B2 (AFB2), aflatoxin G1 (AFG1), and aflatoxin G2 (AFG2; Inan et al., 2007), while aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and M2 (AFM2) are the hydroxylated metabolites of AFB1 and AFB2 (Giray et al., 2007; Hussain and Anwar, 2008).
Several methods including thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), mass spectroscopy, enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA), and electrochemical immunosensor, among others, have been described for detecting and quantifying aflatoxins in foods.
Fermented foods are considered major sources of aflatoxin contamination. Consumption of fermented food contaminated with high amounts of aflatoxins often results in serious health complications. Chronic exposure to aflatoxins from fermented foods affects 4.5 billion persons living in developing countries.
Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring toxin produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus. The fungus can be recognized by a gray-green or yellow-green mold growing on corn kernels in the field or in storage (Figure 1).
There are more than 20 known aflatoxins, but the four main ones are aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), aflatoxin B2 (AFB2), aflatoxin G1 (AFG1), and aflatoxin G2 (AFG2; Inan et al., 2007), while aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and M2 (AFM2) are the hydroxylated metabolites of AFB1 and AFB2 (Giray et al., 2007; Hussain and Anwar, 2008).
What is the maximum acceptable level of aflatoxins?
According to the FDA regulatory levels for aflatoxin in the feed, the maximum allowable aflatoxin levels are 300, 100 and 20 μg/kg for finishing cattle, swine and poultry, breeding cattle, and other animals respectively [16].
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) evaluated both epidemiological and laboratory studies and indicated aflatoxins as carcinogenic (Group 1) and potentially carcinogenic to human (Group 2B) [4].
The amount of aflatoxins consumed contributes to the mutagenic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, and immunosuppressive health effects in the body. The adverse effect of aflatoxins in humans ranges from acute hepatic toxicity to chronic disease such as liver cancer, haemorrhages, oedema, and even immediate death.
a group of poisonous compounds formed by Aspergillus flavus & related moulds = aflatoxins.
Aflatoxins can occur in foods such as groundnuts, tree nuts, maize, rice, figs and other dried foods, spices, crude vegetable oils and cocoa beans, as a result of fungal contamination before and after harvest. Several types of aflatoxins are produced naturally.
Aflatoxin production in the grain can happen in the field in the storage conditions between 20 and 40oc with 10-20% of humidity and 70-90% relative humidity in the air. A. flavus has relatively high moisture requirements among storage fungi. Hence, aflatoxin contamination of grains is aggravated by high seed moisture.
Aflatoxins are produced primarily by the fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. There are four main types of aflatoxins: B1, B2, G1, and G2. Aflatoxin B1 is the major toxin produced, and is regulated in the United States at 20 ppb in agricultural products that may be used in human food.
Heat is relatively ineffective for destruction of aflatoxin although normal roasting, as of peanuts for the preparation of peanut butter, results in considerable reduction in aflatoxin content. Treatment withFlavobacterium aurantiacum removes aflatoxin and may be useful for beverages.
Large doses of aflatoxins can lead to acute poisoning (aflatoxicosis) and can be life threatening, usually through damage to the liver. Aflatoxins have also been shown to be genotoxic, meaning they can damage DNA and cause cancer in animal species. There is also evidence that they can cause liver cancer in humans.
Aflatoxin is stable and heat resistant. It is NOT possible to inactivate aflatoxin by heating your product. It is difficult to eliminate aflatoxin once it is produced. When you have aflatoxin in your product and it is above the maximum level than the only option is to destroy the product.
What laboratory method do they use to identify and quantify aflatoxin?
High/Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC/UHPLC) The reference methods for the detection of aflatoxins are based on chromatography, more precisely on HPLC/UPLC. During the determination of aflatoxins HPLC-fluorescent detection (FLD) and HPLC-MS/MS systems can be used in most cases.
Aflatoxin B1 is considered the most toxic and is produced by both Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Aflatoxin M1 is present in the fermentation broth of Aspergillus parasiticus, but it and aflatoxin M2 are also produced when an infected liver metabolizes aflatoxin B1 and B2.
- Stop growth of infested fungi by re-drying the products;
- Removal of contaminated seeds;
- Inactivation or detoxification of mycotoxins contaminated;
- Protect stored products from any conditions which favour continuing fungal growth.
Aflatoxin are flavourless and even food that is dangerously contaminated usually does not have any off or mouldy taste.
Aflatoxin is a type of toxin caused by a fungus (certain kinds of Aspergillus) that occurs naturally in hot and humid climates. It's a silent killer as it doesn't change the taste of food, according to Ayalew, a plant pathologist and the program manager for the Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA).
Large doses of aflatoxins can lead to acute poisoning (aflatoxicosis) and can be life threatening, usually through damage to the liver. Aflatoxins have also been shown to be genotoxic, meaning they can damage DNA and cause cancer in animal species. There is also evidence that they can cause liver cancer in humans.
The most common way to remove AFB1 using physical methods is to heat and use gamma rays. Aflatoxins are highly thermostable. Studies have shown that AFB1 levels are significantly reduced by heating at 100 and 150°C for 90 minutes, respectively, at 41.9 and 81.2%.
Aflatoxins can occur in foods such as groundnuts, tree nuts, maize, rice, figs and other dried foods, spices, crude vegetable oils and cocoa beans, as a result of fungal contamination before and after harvest. Several types of aflatoxins are produced naturally.
Microwave heating shows great potential for the destruction of aflatoxin in contaminated peanut.
Maintain Proper Storage Conditions
Keep moisture in stored grain below 12-13 percent to stop the development of aflatoxin. Also keep insect activity to a minimum. Cooling the grain below 60 degrees F with outside air as soon as temperatures permit is beneficial in arresting the development of insect populations.
How do you detect aflatoxin?
Several methods including thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), mass spectroscopy, enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA), and electrochemical immunosensor, among others, have been described for detecting and quantifying aflatoxins in foods.
Aflatoxin is stable and heat resistant. It is NOT possible to inactivate aflatoxin by heating your product. It is difficult to eliminate aflatoxin once it is produced. When you have aflatoxin in your product and it is above the maximum level than the only option is to destroy the product.
Commodities such as corn, peanuts, pistachio, Brazil nuts, copra, and coconut are highly prone to contamination by aflatoxin (Idris et al., 2010; Cornea et al., 2011), whereas wheat, oats, millet, barley, rice, cassava, soybeans, beans, pulses, and sorghum are usually resistant to aflatoxin contamination.
Aflatoxin is a type of toxin caused by a fungus (certain kinds of Aspergillus) that occurs naturally in hot and humid climates. It's a silent killer as it doesn't change the taste of food, according to Ayalew, a plant pathologist and the program manager for the Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA).
Heat is relatively ineffective for destruction of aflatoxin although normal roasting, as of peanuts for the preparation of peanut butter, results in considerable reduction in aflatoxin content. Treatment withFlavobacterium aurantiacum removes aflatoxin and may be useful for beverages.
Results of the present study indicated that the rice washing process can significantly reduce the amount of aflatoxin B1, whereas the rice soaking process has no significant effect on reduction of the amount of toxicant.
Introduction. Aflatoxins (Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus) are widely recognized as a major health problem, especially in hot, humid countries. This is a particular serious problem in such crops as maize, rice, peanuts, tree nuts, and dried fruits.
Canine aflatoxicosis occurs from ingestion of aflatoxin-contaminated foods. Aflatoxins cause severe hepatic damage that frequently results in liver failure. The mainstays of treatment are hepatoprotective nutraceuticals, fluid therapy, blood component therapy, vitamin K1, antiemetics, and gastrointestinal protectants.