title: Simultaneous occurrence of mycotoxins in human food commodities from Cameroon.
abstract: Eighty-two samples of dried food commodities from Cameroon were screened and quantified for different mycotoxins, including fumonisin B1 (FB1), zearalenone (ZEA), deoxynivalenol (DON), aflatoxin (AF) and ochratoxin A (OTA), by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively. The percentage of positive samples was as follows: FB1 41%, AF 51%, ZEA 57%, DON 65% and OTA 3%. High FB1 contents were found in maize, averaging 3,684 µg/kg (range: 37-24,225 µg/kg), whereas the highest average ZEA level was found in peanuts (70 µg/kg), followed by maize (69 µg/kg), rice (67 µg/kg) and beans (48 µg/kg) with no ZEA was detected in soybeans. DON contents were low, ranging from 13 to 273 µg/kg, and for AF the average content was 2.6 µg/kg with peanuts and maize as principal substrates. The incidence of OTA was low, with a mean level of 6.4 µg/kg recorded. The majority (79%) of samples contained more than one mycotoxin and the most frequent co-occurrence found was FB1 + ZEA + DON, detected in 21% of samples (mainly maize) analysed. Co-contamination with FB1 + ZEA + DON + AF was found in 11% of the samples. Although a large proportion of samples had fairly low levels of individual mycotoxins, this should be of concern as the co-occurrence of mycotoxins may generate additive or synergistic effect in humans, especially if the respective commodities are consumed almost on a daily basis.
authors.affiliation: Food, Environment and Health Research Group, Faculty of Health Science, 2028, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein Campus, Gauteng, South Africa, pnjobeh@uj.ac.za.
authors.forename: Patrick B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Njobeh
authors.forename: Mike F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Dutton
authors.forename: Susan H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Anil A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Chuturgoon
authors.forename: Stoycho D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Stoev
authors.forename: Joseph S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Mosonik