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Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxin B1 in flour production

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Abstract

This paper discusses the results of investigations of contamination with aflatoxin — producing fungi and aflatoxin B1 affecting 545 samples of wheat grains, 475 samples of intermediate products of wheat grain being milled to flour (like middlings) and 238 samples of flour. A significant contamination with moulds was detected in analyzed samples. AlthoughAspergillus (34.87%) and Penicillium (32.37%) dominated, other types were also present, e.g.,Cladosporium, Fusarium, Mucor, Alternaria, Rhizopus, Absidia andTrichoderma (listed in order of frequency). The presence ofAspergillus flavus, the known aflatoxin producer, was detected in 9.94% of analyzed samples. Isolates of A.Flavus were capable of producing aflatoxin B1 under favourable conditions. Aflatoxin B1 was found in 76.8% of samples contaminated withA. flavus. The highest contamination with aflatoxin B1 was detected in wheat grain samples (mean value of 16.3 µg/kg) and in intermediate products of wheat grain being milled to flour (mean value of 11.13 µg/kg). Contamination was lower in flour samples (mean value of 4.13 µg/kg). With regard to proposed standards given by the FAO and WHO, under which the content of aflatoxin should not exceed 30 µg/kg in food products, only two of 96 samples did not meet these criteria.

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Halt, M. Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxin B1 in flour production. Eur J Epidemiol 10, 555–558 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01719572

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