An Empirical Study on Aflatoxin Occurrence in Nuts Consumed in Tehran, Iran 2013

Mohammad Rezaei, Fereshteh Karimi, Mahdi Parviz, Ali Asghar Behzadi, Morteza Javadzadeh, Issa Mohammadpourfard, Reza Ali Fallahzadeh, Hasan Mohammadi Aghamirlou, Ali Akbar Malekirad

Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Saveh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Saveh, Iran.
Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Yazd University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
Department of Food Safety and Hygiene, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Department of Food Safety and Hygiene, School of Public Health, Yazd University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

DOI: 10.4236/health.2014.68084                

Abstract

By definition, “aflaxions” refer to a group of chemically toxic fungal metabolites, which are generated by specific species of genus Aspergillus. The species flourish on some of raw foods. This research is an attempt to assess aflatoxin contamination in nuts (Fig, Almond, Hazelnut, Walnut, Pistachio and Sunflower) available in Tehran city market in 2013. The assessments were done using ELISA method. To this end, 200 samples including Fig (n = 30), Almond (n = 25), Hazelnut (n = 25), Walnut (n = 40), Pistachio (n = 40), Sunflower (n = 40) were collected and analyzed regarding contamination with aflatoxin. The result of the tests was positive for 96.5% (193 samples) with total average concentration of 1.68 μg/kg (0 - 6 μg/kg). Moreover, in 6% (12 samples) of the cases, contamination exceeded the EU limits (4 μg/kg), while 100% of the samples met the legal limits of National Standard of Iran (15 μg/kg). In spite of contamination of majority of the cases, none was at hazardous level as the condition for growth of mycotoxin fungus or antioxidant activity in the nut was not suitable in Tehran (humidity level).

Keywords

Aflatoxin; ELISA; Food Safety; Food Toxicology; Nuts

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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