Aflatoxins levels in branded and non-branded corn from Lahore, Pakistan
Abstract
In the present study, presence of aflatoxins B1 (AFB1), B2 (AFB2), G1 (AFG1), and G2 (AFG2) was checked in branded and non-branded corn samples procured from different areas of Lahore, Pakistan. One hundred and fifty branded and non-branded corn samples were collected in a random manner from 25 different areas (supermarkets, small retail shops, small groceries, and super stores) during May-June 2016 and were analyzed for aflatoxin via thin layer chromatography. The descriptive analysis showed that 64% of the non-branded corn samples were contaminated with three types of aflatoxins i.e. AFB1, AFB2, and AFG1, while 23% of the branded corn samples were contaminated with AFB1 only. In non-branded samples, AFB1 was detected in the range of 1.25–67.73 µg kg-1 followed by AFB2 (0–8.95 µg kg-1) and AFG1 (0–16.46 µg kg-1). In branded corn samples, AFB1 was detected in the range of 1.2-7.07 µg kg-1. Amount of different types of aflatoxins was many times higher as compared to prescribed limit (2 µg kg-1) for the consumption of aflatoxins contaminated food by European Commission. It was concluded that health risks associated with the consumption of such kind of contaminated food may cause carcinogenic diseases, thus, all agricultural samples must be tested for the occurrence of AFs.
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