Occurrence of aflatoxins in human foodstuffs in South Africa

Journal Article · Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1988 · Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01881045· OSTI ID:5304896

Loetter, L H; Kroehm, H J

Aflatoxins are toxic metabolites of Aspergillus spp and have been reported as contaminants in a number of foodstuffs, namely corn, rice, peanuts, and cereals. In the Republic of South Africa, aflatoxin levels in human foodstuffs are limited to a maximum of 10 ..mu..g/kg for the total and 5 ..mu..g/kg for aflatoxin B/sub 1/. During 1985 and 1986, samples of sorghum beer, sorghum cereal, peanuts, peanut butter and maize meal were purchased from supermarkets in Johannesburg and analyzed for aflatoxins. A total of 414 samples were analyzed during the survey. In 1985, roughly a third of the samples were contaminated with aflatoxins, with no levels in excess of the legal limit. In 1986 the percentage of contaminated samples rose significantly, but the levels of contamination remained low, with only one sample exceeding the legal maximum.

• Research Organization: City Health Dept., Johannesburg, South Africa
• OSTI ID: 5304896
• Journal Information: Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States), Vol. 40:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AFLATOXIN
LIQUID COLUMN CHROMATOGRAPHY
FOOD
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CEREALS
FLUORESCENCE
MAIZE
NUTS
SEEDS
SORGHUM
SOUTH AFRICA
AFRICA
ANTIGENS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
FRUITS
GRASS
LUMINESCENCE
MATERIALS
PLANTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TOXIC MATERIALS
TOXINS
510200* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)