[Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in food and risks to human health].
OBJECTIVE
The presence of mycotoxins in food has been associated with several human diseases, and health authorities have taken actions to decrease the ingestion of these compounds in the diet. A study was carried out to assess aflatoxins and ochratoxin A concentrations found in food, and to evaluate the potential risk to human health resulting from mycotoxin exposure.


METHODS
Between July 1998 to December 2001, 366 food samples were analyzed, including peanuts and its products, nuts, maize, oat and/or wheat products, rice and beans. Samples were processed and the extracted mycotoxins were detected and separated using thin layer chromatography, and then quantified with fluorescence.


RESULTS
Aflatoxins were detected in 19.6% of the samples: raw peanuts and its products, pop corn, maize and Brazilian nuts (>2mg/kg). Peanuts and its products showed the highest levels of aflatoxin contamination (34.7%) with up to 1280 mg/kg of AFB1+AFG1 and 1706 mg/kg of total aflatoxins. Of the positive samples, AFB1 was detected in 98.5%, AFB2 in 93%, AFG1 in 66.7%, and AFG2 in 65.4%. Ochratoxin A was not detected (<25 mg/kg) in any sample analyzed.


CONCLUSIONS
It was found that contamination levels mainly seen in peanuts and its products exceed Brazilian regulated standards, and they can be a potential risk to regular consumers of these products. Food producers' awareness allied to monitoring programs is essential to reduce human exposure to these compounds and prevent ensuing chronic diseases.
Caldas
Eloisa Dutra
ED
Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brasil. eloisa@unb.br
Silva
Saulo Cardoso
SC
Oliveira
João Nascimento
JN
D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis*; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000737:chemistry; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D009793:Ochratoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D012307:Risk Factors
D000348:Aflatoxins; D002273:Carcinogens; D009793:Ochratoxins; C025589:ochratoxin A