title: Natural occurrence of aflatoxins in Chinese peanut butter and sesame paste.
abstract: A study on the natural occurrence of aflatoxins in Chinese peanut butter and sesame paste samples was conducted. Aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) was the predominant toxin detected abundantly and frequently at a level up to 68.51 microg/kg in 41 of 50 peanut butter samples and 20.45 microg/kg in 37 of 100 sesame paste samples analyzed by liquid chromatography (LC). Of the AFB(1)-positive samples, 15 (37%) and 1 (2%) peanut butter samples with AFB(1) exceed European Union (EU) and Chinese regulations, respectively, whereas 19 and 32% of sesame paste samples contained AFB(1) higher than Chinese and EU regulations, respectively. Fourteen and 1 peanut butter samples and 10 and 7 sesame paste samples, respectively, will be legally claimed as positive, rejected, and even banned with consideration of an uncertainty of 40% for AFB(1), based on EU and Chinese regulations. Seeking to balance health benefits with the potential trade disruptions that regulations can cause is the issue of concern.
authors.affiliation: Department of Science and Technology, National Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 7 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100021, People's Republic of China. lifengqin@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Feng-Qin
authors.initials: FQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yu-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ye-Ru
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xue-Yun
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Luo