title: Determination of aflatoxin B1 in pistachio kernels and shells.
abstract: A method was developed for accurate measurement of aflatoxin B1 in the edible portion of pistachio nuts. Twenty-nine samples of kernels with and without their shells were slurried with a Mega Ultra Turrax. A subsample of the homogenate was extracted with water-methanol, defatted with petroleum ether, purified with a silica solid-phase extraction column, and redissolved in methanol. After separation on an octadecyl column and postcolumn reaction with on-line electrochemically generated bromine, the aflatoxin B1 derivative was detected fluorometrically. The shells contained less than 1% of the aflatoxin B1 found in the edible kernel, and they accounted for 41.7-46.8% of the weight of the whole pistachio. These observations indicate it is possible to analyze an entire sample, up to 25 kg, as a whole and still be able to judge whether it meets the legal tolerance limit of 5 micrograms aflatoxin B1/kg edible part, as set by the Dutch Food Act.
authors.affiliation: Inspectorate for Health Protection, Food Inspection Service, Alkmaar, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Scholten
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Spanjer
mesh_terms: D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D005470:Fluorometry; D005506:Food Contamination; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D009426:Netherlands; D009754:Nuts / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D014867:Water; D016604:Aflatoxin B1; D000432:Methanol