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Aflatoxin

Introduction

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Chemical structure of aflatoxin B1

This is a learning resource about Aflatoxin and supports learners in risk mitigation. Wikiversity quizzes will be integrated as self-assessment framework including images.

Learning Environment

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  • Learning resource contains information about Aflatoxin with a chemistry background,
  • Learning resource contains information about Aflatoxin for farmers, so that they learn how to detect Aflatoxin contamination on the crop and follow recommendations about risk mitigation strategies.

Wiki Quiz

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Information for Farmers

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Definition

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Aflatoxins are various poisonous carcinogens and mutagens that are produced by certain molds, particularly Aspergillus species. The fungi grow in soil, decaying vegetation and various staple foodstuffs and commodities such as hay, sweetcorn, wheat, millet, sorghum, cassava, rice, chili peppers, cottonseed, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and various spices. In short, the relevant fungi grow on almost any crop or food. When such contaminated food is processed or consumed, the aflatoxins enter the general food supply. They have been found in both pet and human foods, as well as in feedstocks for agricultural animals. Animals fed contaminated food can pass aflatoxin transformation products into eggs, milk products, and meat.[1] For example, contaminated poultry feed is the suspected source of aflatoxin-contaminated chicken meat and eggs in Pakistan.[2]

List of outbreaks

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International sources of commercial peanut butter, cooking oils (e.g. olive, peanut and sesame oil), and cosmetics have been identified as contaminated with aflatoxin.[3][4][5] In some instances, liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), and other analytical methods, revealed a range from 48% to 80% of selected product samples as containing detectable quantities of aflatoxin. In many of these contaminated food products, the aflatoxin exceeded the safe limits of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or other regulatory agency.[4] [5][6]

  • 2003 Kenya: acute poisoning, 120 confirmed deaths.[7][8]
  • February–March 2013: Romania, Serbia, Croatia imported into western Europe - 2013 aflatoxin contamination.
  • February 2013: Iowa contamination.[9]
  • 2014 (ongoing): Nepal and Bangladesh, neonatal exposures, found in umbilical cord blood.[7]
  • 2019 Kenya: five brands of maize flour recalled due to contamination.[10]
  • 2021 USA: Contamination of pet food manufactured by Midwestern Pet Food, causing the deaths of at least 70 dogs.[11]

See also

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Resources

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  1. ↑ Fratamico, Pina M.; Bhunia, Arun K.; Smith, James L. (2008). Foodborne Pathogens: Microbiology and Molecular Biology. Norofolk, UK: Horizon Scientific Press. ISBN 978-1-898486-52-7. 
  2. ↑ Iqbal, Shahzad Zafar (2014). "Natural incidence of aflatoxins, ochratoxin A and zearalenone in chicken meat and eggs". Food Control 43: 98–103. doi:10.1016/j.foodcont.2014.02.046. 
  3. ↑ "Determination of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 in olive oil, peanut oil, and sesame oil". Journal of AOAC International 93 (3): 936–42. 2010. doi:10.1093/jaoac/93.3.936. PMID 20629398. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Natural occurrence of aflatoxins in Chinese peanut butter and sesame paste". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 57 (9): 3519–24. May 2009. doi:10.1021/jf804055n. PMID 19338351. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Rapid analytical method for the determination of aflatoxins in plant-derived dietary supplement and cosmetic oils". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 58 (7): 4065–70. April 2010. doi:10.1021/jf9039028. PMID 20235534. PMC 2858461. //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2858461/. 
  6. ↑ "Determination of aflatoxins in commercial nuts and nut products using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry". World Mycotoxin Journal 4 (2): 119–127. 1 January 2011. doi:10.3920/WMJ2010.1229. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Aflatoxin threat in Nepal, Bangladesh". SciDev.Net South Asia. 2014-12-17. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-10-17.
  8. ↑ No chance for aflatoxins Archived October 17, 2015, at the Wayback Machine Rural 21, the International Journal for Rural Development, 3 April 2013. – The Aflacontrol project was conducted by IFPRI with scientists from CIMMYT, the ICRISAT, [[w:en:Directorate of Groundnut Research]|Directorate of Groundnut Research]] and other organizations. It sought to provide evidence of the cost-effectiveness of aflatoxin risk-reduction strategies along maize and groundnut value chains in Africa, and to understand what prevented adoption of these control strategies.
  9. ↑ "Dog food recall underscores toxic danger in drought-hit U.S. corn". Reuters. February 25, 2013.
  10. ↑ Mutahi B (2019-11-15). "How safe is Kenya's staple food?". Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  11. ↑ "US pet food recalled after 70 dogs die and others fall sick". BBC News. 2021-01-14. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
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