The Evaluation of Aflatoxin Contamination in Various Foods in Iran: a Review

Introduction: Aflatoxins are secondary fungal metabolites produced by Aspergillus fungi, in particular Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus nomius and Aspergillus parasiticus. Aflatoxins have undesirable effects on human and animal health and lead to various diseases, including liver disorders. Four main types of aflatoxin are B1, B2, G1 and G2, and aflatoxin M1 and M2 are metabolites derived from aflatoxins B1 and B2. Materials and Methods: In this paper, studies on aflatoxin contamination in different foods were investigated. Keywords for related articles include: Aflatoxin, Iran, Incidence, Food, Oil, Milk and Dairy Products. Articles were obtained from SID, Science direct, PubMed and Google scholar databases. Abstract of all related articles were reviewed and finally, articles which mentioned to the amount of aflatoxin were selected.Results: Results showed the presence of aflatoxins in most of the tested food. In most studies conducted on milk and various dairy products, the level of aflatoxin was higher than the recommended level set by the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran and the European Union. Conclusion(s): Practical management and control strategies are necessary for assurance of the safety of consumers regarding aflatoxin residue in different foods in Iran.