1. Which foods contain Aflatoxin
Aflatoxin commonly occurs in foods derived from seeds and grains, especially products stored under improper conditions. Common foods that may be contaminated with Aflatoxin include:
🍽 Corn (maize): It is the cereal most easily attacked by mould, particularly when stored in a humid environment.
🥜 Peanut (groundnut): It is a food with a high oil content that readily absorbs moisture, creating favourable conditions for Aspergillus to grow.
🌾 Rice, wheat, millet: If sun-dried, not dried thoroughly or stored for long periods, there is a risk of Aflatoxin contamination.
🍇 Dried fruits and nuts such as raisins, hazelnuts and almonds: Prone to mould contamination during drying and storage.
👄 Animal-origin foods (milk, eggs, meat): Can be indirectly contaminated with Aflatoxin when livestock eat mouldy feed.
2. Harm of the mycotoxin Aflatoxin to health
Aflatoxin can accumulate in the body and cause many serious health effects:
- Causes liver cancer (classified by WHO as a Group 1 carcinogen).
- Weakens immunity, affecting liver and kidney function.
- In children, Aflatoxin can cause slow physical and mental development.
3. How to avoid Aflatoxin mycotoxin contamination
- Choose dry food that is free of mould and has no unusual smell.
- Store seeds and grains in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place.
- Do not use corn, peanuts or rice that is mouldy, even if only a small part is affected.
- Regularly test the Aflatoxin content in raw materials, especially at food and animal feed production facilities.
4. Methods for testing the Aflatoxin mycotoxin
To ensure food safety and comply with the regulations of the Ministry of Health as well as international standards (Codex, EU, FDA), many Aflatoxin testing methods are currently used in laboratories and in the field:
1. Thin Layer Chromatography method (TLC – Thin Layer Chromatography)
- It is a traditional method with low cost.
- Principle: extract Aflatoxin from the sample, then separate it on a silica plate and detect it under a UV lamp.
- Advantages: simple, easy to perform.
- Disadvantages: lower sensitivity and accuracy than modern methods.
2. High Performance Liquid Chromatography method (HPLC – High Performance Liquid Chromatography)
- It is the international standard method widely used in testing laboratories.
- It allows accurate quantification of each type of Aflatoxin (B1, B2, G1, G2).
- Advantages: high accuracy, specific quantitative results.
- Disadvantages: requires modern equipment and highly skilled technicians.
3. ELISA method (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay)
- It is an enzyme immunoassay method based on the antigen – antibody reaction principle.
- It gives rapid results (30–60 minutes), high sensitivity, and is suitable for screening tests in factories, warehouses or processing facilities.
- Today, ELISA test kits from R-Biopharm (Germany) are used by many laboratories to quantify Aflatoxin in grains, animal feed and milk.
4. Rapid test method (Lateral Flow Test)
- In the form of test strips or rapid test cards, easy to use and requiring no complex equipment.
- The results can be read by eye or with a scanner within a few minutes.
- Suitable for rapid on-site checks or when receiving raw materials.
5. PCR method (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
- It does not directly quantify Aflatoxin, but helps to detect the genes of the Aspergillus fungus that produces the toxin, supporting early warning of Aflatoxin contamination risk.
- This method is used in combination with ELISA or HPLC to ensure high reliability.
Besides knowing which foods contain Aflatoxin, regular testing with appropriate methods is a key factor in ensuring food safety. Production and processing facilities should choose a testing method based on scale and purpose:
- Rapid test / ELISA: quick testing, screening.
- HPLC / TLC: accurate confirmation in the laboratory.
- PCR: early detection of the risk of contamination by toxin-producing moulds.
👉 Read more in the article Which test method should you choose to analyse mycotoxins?