What foods contain 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.

What is meant by aflatoxin?

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.

What foods are most affected by aflatoxins?

Pre-harvest contamination with aflatoxins is mainly limited to maize, cottonseed, peanuts and tree nuts. Post-harvest contamination can be found in a variety of other crops such as coffee, rice and spices.

What are aflatoxins how they are produced and what damage they cause?

Aflatoxin is produced by fungal action during production, harvest, storage, and processing of food. Aflatoxin toxicity may result in nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, convulsions, and other signs of acute liver injury.

Does Rice have aflatoxin?

Rice can be contaminated by aflatoxins producing fungi when the climatic conditions become favorable for their growth in the field, during harvest, handling and storage [7,8]. The occurrence of aflatoxins in rice has been reported in several studies with a high prevalence in Asian countries [8,9].

What is aflatoxin in milk?

Aflatoxins (AFs) are mycotoxins produced by some species of Aspergillus. In dairy cows, ingested AFB1 is metabolized into carcinogenic AFM1 which is eliminated through milk, thus posing a risk for consumer health.

What causes aflatoxin?

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). Plant stress due to drought, heat or insect damage during fungus growth usually increases aflatoxin levels.

What is aflatoxin in coconut oil?

Aflatoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi named Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus and A. nomius and the most important mycotoxins with regard to the occurrence, toxicity, and impact on human health and trade.

How do I know if I have aflatoxin?

Signs of Illness Pets suffering from aflatoxin poisoning may experience signs such as sluggishness, loss of appetite, vomiting, jaundice (yellowish tint to the eyes, gums or skin due to liver damage), unexplained bruising or bleeding, and/or diarrhea.

Does rice have aflatoxin?

How is aflatoxin removed from the body?

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\%.

What happens if you eat aflatoxins?

Ingesting small quantities of the toxins over the long term can cause liver cancer, and in some cases, it can cause lung cancer. This is because aflatoxins are potent carcinogens, which are cancer-causing agents. Treatment of aflatoxin poisoning all depends on what is happening to the person.

What are aflatoxins and what are they?

Aflatoxins may be present in many different foods. The most relevant types of aflatoxins are as follows: Aflatoxin B1. This is the most prevalent and most toxic type of aflatoxins. It appears nearly in all cases together with Aflatoxin B2, G1 and G2. It is commonly found in corn, peanuts, brazil nuts, cotton seed and pistachios.

Why does Aspergillus flavus produce aflatoxins?

It is not clear why Aspergillus produce aflatoxins but, like antibiotics, they may serve as a kind of chemical warfare weapon that confers a survival advantage to the fungus. Although Aspergillus flavus can grow on just about any crop seed, it’s more commonly found on oilseed crops such as corn, cottonseed, peanuts, and tree nuts.

What foods and crops are most likely to be contaminated with aflatoxin?

The foods and crops most likely to be contaminated with aflatoxin include: milk and cheese (rarely, meat can also become contaminated due to the spreading in aflatoxin in livestock feed) although it’s not commonly eaten, cottonseed is also a major crop that tends to grow aflatoxin

How can I reduce my aflatoxin exposure?

You can reduce your aflatoxin exposure by buying only major commercial brands of nuts and nut butters and by discarding nuts that look moldy, discolored, or shriveled. To help minimize risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tests foods that may contain aflatoxins, such as peanuts and peanut butter.