Others observed the fonnation of bgyf and sometimes aflatoxin after inoculation of corn ears in the field with a. The aflatoxin group is comprised of aflatoxin b1 afb1, b2. The present work was to determine the presence of aflatoxins in eggs, milk, urine, and blood samples that were collected from various sources. This includes international regulatory agencies and national governments, as well as food producers, processors, and traders. The international food policy institute ifpri is a member of the cgiar consortium. Pdf aflatoxins are mycotoxins produced by aspergillus flavus and a. On march 16, 2018, china notified the world trade organization wto of the draft code of practice for the prevention and reduction of aflatoxin contamination in food, as spsnchn1068.
Aspergillus flavus is one of the major producers of aflatoxin and can contaminate wide range of agricultural commodities either in field or in storage. Its found in certain commonly eaten foods including peanuts, peanut butter and corn, and is most harmful in parts of the world where people consume large amount of these foods, such as asia and africa. Aflatoxins sum of b1, b2, g1, g2 in cereals and cerealderived food products supporting publications 20. Guidelines for preventing mycotoxins in farm commodities have been suggested by the u. Food samples taken were sent to the government laboratory. For dairy cattle, carryoverrates of 16% with an average of 2. Distribution of total aflatoxins sum of b1, b2, g1 and g2 by sampling year in cereals and their milling products at foodex level 3. Numerous products are marketed as anticaking agents to sequester or bind aflatoxins and reduce absorption from the gi tract. Aflatoxins are produced by certain strains of the fungi aspergillus flavus and a. Food samples collected fell under three main food categories, namely peanuts and peanut products, vegetable oils and fat, and cereals and cereal products. The implications of aflatoxin contamination for local food. B1 is the predominate form aflatoxin b1 when ingested by animals is converted to aflatoxin m1. Aflatoxins produced by the aspergillus species are highly toxic, carcinogenic, and cause severe contamination to food sources, leading to serious health consequences.
Given its temperate climate, the eu has focused its aflatoxin concern on food imported from tropical and subtropical climates. Aflatoxin b1 is the most common in food and among the most potent genotoxic and carcinogenic aflatoxins. This is the predominate aflatoxin found in milk aflatoxins can occur preharvest, in the field, or postharvest, due to delayed drying andor improper. Aflatoxins sum of b1, b2, g1, g2 in cereals and cereal. The species of molds that combine to form aflatoxin grow in soils when conditions are just right, including when decaying. In the united states, a 10% excess of primary livercell cancer was observed in the southeast, where the estimated average daily intake of aflatoxin was high, compared with the north and west, areas with low aflatoxin intake. Food supplies that test over the regulatory limit are considered unsafe for human consumption and destroyed. The code applies to the peanuts, corn, cottonseeds, tree nuts, and feed for. The carryover rates of aflatoxin b1 through oral intake and the metabolization to aflatoxin m1 in milk depend on the animal species, but there is also a large variation within species. It is produced both by aspergillus flavus and aspergillus parasiticus.
There are 4 aflatoxins produced by fungus growth in grains. A few studies completed in subsaharan africa ssa have measured molecular biomarkers for aflatoxin and found a significant percentage of people consume contaminated food on a daily basis. And even very small exposures can add up to a significant cumulative burden. Fda regulatory limits aflatoxin action level commodity species 0. Aflatoxin m 1 is a chemical compound of the aflatoxin class, a group of mycotoxins produced by three species of aspergillus aspergillus flavus, aspergillus parasiticus, and the rare aspergillus nomius which contaminate plant and plant products aspergillus flavus produces only btype aflatoxins. In general, process to degrade the toxin to safe levels should meet the following requirements. The noncompliance rate as compared to the statutory limit.
Corn, cottonseed and peanuts are the crops most at risk of being contaminated by aflatoxins. Aflatoxin in food the american food and agriculture organization estimates that 25% of the food crops in the world are affected by mycotoxins. Aflatoxins are one of many natural occurring mycotoxins that are found in soils, foods, humans, and. First, aflatoxins particularly aflatoxin b 1 not only are toxic to animals and humans but also are the most carcinogenic natural compounds known. Aflatoxin m1 is a major metabolite of aflatoxin b1 in humans and animals, which may be present in milk from animals fed with aflatoxin b1 contaminated feed. They pose a significant public health risk in many tropical developing countries and are also a barrier to the growth of domestic. In addition, the european food safety authority efsa has adopted on 3 february 2004 an opinion related to aflatoxin b1 as undesirable substance in animal feed. High performance liquid chromatography methodwas used for the chemical analysis. Samples were dichotomized based on whether or not the aflatoxin levels were 20 ppb. Aflatoxin impacts and potential solutions in agriculture. Economic research service usda international trade and food safety aer828 99 table 6. Pre harvest contamination with aflatoxins is mainly limited to maize, cottonseed, peanuts. Although the liver is the major site of injury, afb 1induced tumors have been experimentally produced in the lungs, kidneys, and colons of rodents. The development of standards for tolerable limits of aflatoxin in foods for the east africa region began in 1990.
In addition, aflatoxin m1 afm1, a hydroxylated metabolite of afb1, is excreted in the milk of dairy cows consuming an afb1. Methods for detection of aflatoxins in agricultural food crops. Food crops can become contaminated both before and after harvesting. Aflatoxin contamination in food and body fluids in relation. Prevalence and the relative magnitude of impacts the relative magnitude of impact on agriculture and food security, human health, and trade for a country depends on the uses of aflatoxin. Characterization of aflatoxin producing aspergillus flavus. Aflatoxin m1 contaminated milk and milk products, including nonfat dry milk, cheese, ice creams and yogurts, is the result of aflatoxincontaminated corn and cottonseed meal in dairy feed. Several types of aflatoxin 14 or more occur in nature, but four aflatoxins b 1, b 2, g 1 and g 2 are particularly dangerous to humans and animals as they have been found in all major food crops. Advances in sampling and analysis for aflatoxins in food and.
From the foregoing figure 1, it can be observed that the primary derivatives of aflatoxin b 1 biotransformation comprise a aflatoxin m1 and aflatoxinexo8,9epoxide products of cyp1a2 activity and b aflatoxin q 1 and aflatoxinexo8,9epoxide products of cyp3a4 activity. The aflatoxin group is comprised of aflatoxin b1 afb1, b2, g1 and g2. Nakhonsawan field crop research center, thailand youd never knowingly put poison in your mouth, but when it comes to aflatoxin in food, what you dont know is exactly whats making you sick. Second, there is a high incidence of aflatoxins in food and feed throughout the.
Aflatoxins in developing country food chains with a special focus on kenya. Effects of aflatoxins contaminating food on human health. Ubale, the crsled food for peace project in malawi, is using the icelisa indirect competitive for testing aflatoxin levels in groundnuts and found it costeffective and useful for testing multiple samples at a time. Regulations regarding aflatoxin in corn the food and drug administration fda has established an action level of 20 ppb for aflatoxins in corn in interstate commerce. Animals fed contaminated food can pass aflatoxin transformation products into eggs, milk products, and meat. Aflatoxin b 1 afb 1 is a potent toxin, mutagen, and carcinogen, and is implicated in the etiology of hepatocarcinoma.
Although aflatoxins are known to cause cancer in animals, the united states food and drug administration fda allows them at low levels in nuts, seeds, and legumes because they are considered unavoidable contaminants. Even for peanuts and peanut products, the food group that is well known to be associated with aflatoxin, the mean level was low at 1. Aflatoxin standards for food page i foreword ensuring the safety of the food supply is a responsibility shared by the public and private sectors. This is the level at which federal agencies may take action, including seizure of the corn or prohibition of its sale. Aflatoxin management for smallholder farmers of maize and. Contaminations by aflatoxins have been reported in food and feed, such as groundnuts, millet, sesame seeds, maize, wheat, rice, fig, spices and cocoa due to fungal infection during pre and postharvest conditions. Food and drug administration fda and kenya bureau of standards regulatory limit for aflatoxin in products for human consumption, 20 ppb fda 1997. Aflatoxin is a type of mold that is considered a human carcinogen.
However, the truth is that we dont know how much if any aflatoxin is safe. When contaminated food is processed, aflatoxins enter the general food supply where they have been found in both pet and human foods, as well as in feedstocks for agricultural animals. Aflatoxin contamination of commercial maize products. The scientific committee on food scf adopted on 23 september 1994 an opinion on toxicological safety of aflatoxins b1, b2, g1, g2 and m1. The food and drug administration fda has issued regulatory guidance for three mycotoxins that may be present in raw grains, feed ingredients and finished. Similar waivers were granted in 2005, 2003 and 1988. Aflatoxin management for smallholder farmers of maize and groundnuts 5 comparable. Unesco eolss sample chapters tropical biology and conservation management vol.
The high levels of afb 1 in most samples could be attributed to the fact that it was the most common and prevalent aflatoxin in most food matrices 40, 41. The 7 foods with highest aflatoxin contamination bad corn contaminated with potentially deadly aflatoxin photo credit. All the isolates were morphologically similar to aspergillus flavus type strains. Corn containing greater than 500 ppb aflatoxin cannot be. The consumption of food containing aflatoxin concentrations of 1 mgkg or higher has been suspected to cause aflatoxicosis. The fda believes occasionally eating small amounts of aflatoxin poses little risk over a lifetime. Linearity and lods of four aflatoxins no mycotoxins r2 lod ngml 1 aflatoxin g 2 0. Adults are more tolerant to acute exposure than children. In developing nations, many people are exposed to aflatoxin through food grown at home. Ammoniation reduces aflatoxin contamination in grain but is not currently approved by the fda for use in food animals in the usa because of uncertainty about byproducts produced. Of these mycotoxins, aflatoxins are the biggest problem. Use disposable gloves and protective masks if grinding the food creates dust.
The public health and trade implications of aflatoxin contamination are farreaching. Hepatitis b and cancer hepatitis b virus hbv infection contributes to liver damage that is potentiated by chronic af exposure leading to cancer the presence of the virus may interfere with af metabolism and detoxification process predisposition of hbvinfected hepatocytes to aflatoxin induced dna damage. Aflatoxin b1 is the strongest natural carcinogen for the liver and aflatoxin b1 and hepatitis bhbvare considered as major risk factors in the etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma hcc. The species of molds that combine to form aflatoxin grow in soils when conditions are just right, including when decaying food, plants, hay and grains are piled together to decompose in areas with high moisture and high.
A dichotomous aflatoxin variable was also created using the u. Aflatoxins m 1 and q 1, although toxic, are less reactive with other molecules and. Dairy products and eggs are often overlooked as major sources of aflatoxin in food, but animals that feed on contaminated corn or wheat will pass aflatoxin on to human consumers. Inadequate harvesting and storage techniques allow for the growth of aflatoxinproducing fungus and homegrown crops are not routinely tested for the. Dried fruits particularly figs can be loaded with mold spores. Moisture is the single most important parameter and prompt drying to safe levels is essential for control of toxigenic molds. Aflatoxins are a naturally occurring carcinogenic byproduct of common fungi on grains and other crops, particularly maize and groundnuts. Aflatoxin m 1 is the hydroxylated metabolite of aflatoxin b 1 and can be found in milk or milk. The best approach to contain the problem of aflatoxin is prevention and enough is now known about prevention to reduce contamination drastically. This document is intended to provide guidance for all interested parties producing and handling peanuts for entry into international trade for human consumption. Aflatoxin binders in foods for human consumptioncan this be.