title: Aflatoxin B1 in common Egyptian foods.
abstract: Samples of common Egyptian foods (17 nuts and seeds, 10 spices, 31 herbs and medicinal plants, 12 dried vegetables, and 28 cereal grains) were collected from markets in Cairo and Giza. A portion of each sample was extracted with chloroform, and the concentrated extract was cleaned by passing through a silica gel column. Aflatoxin B1 was determined by reversed-phase liquid chromatography with UV detection. The highest prevalence of aflatoxin B1 was in nuts and seeds (82%), followed by spices (40%), herbs and medicinal plants (29%), dried vegetables (25%), and cereal grains (21%). The highest mean concentration of aflatoxin B1 was in herb and medicinal plants (49 ppb), followed by cereals (36 ppb), spices (25 ppb), nuts and seeds (24 ppb), and dried vegetables (20 ppb). Among nuts and seeds, the prevalence of aflatoxin B1 was highest (100%) in watermelon seeds, inshell peanuts, and unshelled peanuts. The lowest prevalence and concentrations were in hommos (garbanzo beans). The highest concentrations of aflatoxin B1 were detected in foods that had no potential for field contamination but required drying during processing and storage, such as pomegranate peel, watermelon seeds, and molokhia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Selim
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Popendorf
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: el Sharkawy
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: el Kashory
mesh_terms: D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002725:Chloroform / Q000737:chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000378:metabolism; D004534:Egypt; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000592:standards; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000737:chemistry; D009754:Nuts / Q000378:metabolism; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000378:metabolism; D012015:Reference Standards; D012639:Seeds / Q000378:metabolism; D058428:Silica Gel; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D017365:Spices / Q000032:analysis; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D005782:Gels; D058428:Silica Gel; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D002725:Chloroform; D016604:Aflatoxin B1