Contamination of peanuts with mycotoxins, particularly aflatoxins, is a worldwide problem that affects both food safety and agricultural economies. Most countries have adopted regulations that limit the quantity of aflatoxins in food and feed to 20 microg kg(-1) or less; however, environmental conditions in most of the world where peanuts are produced and stored often make it difficult or impos...

Aflatoxins are a group of secondary metabolites produced by members of Aspergillus Section Flavi that are dangerous to humans and animals. Nuts can be potentially contaminated with aflatoxins, often over the legal threshold. Food processes, including roasting, may have different effects on mycotoxins, and high temperatures have proven to be very effective in the reduction of mycotoxins. In this...

Aflatoxins are highly toxic cancer causing fungal metabolites known to cause immune-system suppression, growth retardation, liver disease, and death in both humans and domestic animals. Human exposure to aflatoxins is limited by regulations that prohibit the use of crops containing excess quantities of aflatoxins for foods and feeds. Aflatoxins are regulated in part per billion (ppb) ranges wit...

Extrahepatic biliary atresia (EHBA) has long been defined as a progressive cholangiopathy of infancy of obscure aetiology. It is a grave disease with serious morbidity, mortality and economic burden. EHBA is currently treated surgically by Kasai portoenterostomy. In 10 years post-portoenterostomy the survival does not exceed 30%, and 60-80% of children with EHBA eventually develop liver cirrhos...

BACKGROUND Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is a hydroxylated metabolite formed after aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is consumed by humans and animals; it can be detected in urine, milk and blood. It is well recognized that AFB1 is toxic to humans and other animals. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies aflatoxins as group 1 carcinogens and AFM1 as group 2B carcinogen. The main objective of...

The fate of aflatoxins and fumonisins, two mycotoxins that cooccur in maize, was studied through the traditional processing of naturally contaminated maize in mawe, makume, ogi, akassa, and owo, maize-based foods common in Benin, West Africa. Levels of total aflatoxin and fumonisin were measured at the main unit operations of processing, and the unit operations that induce significant reduction...

Blood and urine samples from 252 Sudanese children were investigated for their aflatoxin content by high-performance liquid chromatography. The children comprised 44 with kwashiorkor, 32 with marasmic kwashiorkor, 70 with marasmus, and 106 age-matched, normally nourished controls. Aflatoxins were detected more often and at higher concentrations in sera from children with kwashiorkor than in the...

Aflatoxins are mycotoxins, structurally related compounds produced as secondary metabolites by Aspergillus molds, primarily flavus and parasiticus. Aflatoxins occur naturally in peanuts, cottonseed, corn, and dried chili pepper, as well as many mixed or processed foods and feeds. A simple, sensitive, and robust HPLC method with post-column derivatization and Ultraviolet detection was used to an...

Fever, bloody diarrhea and high mortality rate were the main clinical finding in a group of fattening calves. Analysis of corn silage revealed presence of aflatoxins at level of 370 ppb. This level of aflatoxins in the feed of cattle is somewhat low to be the main cause of reported signs. Leukocytopenia, anemia, decreased lymphocytic activity and lowered phagocytic index are the main hematologi...

The present study was carried out to investigate the aflatoxigenic and ochratoxigenic fungi and their mycotoxins from 194 samples of 5 types of spices (black pepper, turmeric, fennel, green cardamom and mace). Ochratoxin A producing A. niger and aflatoxin producing A. flavus were the most dominant species present in all types of spice. 52% of A. flavus and 44% of A. parasiticus from black peppe...