title: Aflatoxin B1 in chilies from the Punjab region, Pakistan.
abstract: The occurrence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in chilies from Pakistan was determined by using HPLC in work undertaken in Pakistan. Whole (n = 22) and powdered (n = 22) chilies were analyzed. Sixteen (73.0%) and 19 (86.4%) samples of whole and ground chilies, respectively, were contaminated. The mean concentration in powdered chilies (32.20 μg/kg) was higher statistically than in whole chilies (24.69 μg/kg). Concentrations ranged from 0.00 to 89.56 μg/kg for powdered chilies, compared with 0.00-96.3 μg/kg for whole chilies. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.05 μg/kg and 0.53 μg/kg, respectively. The concentrations were high in general and greater than the statutory limit set by the European Union. There is considerable scope for improvements in chili production in Pakistan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, 38040, Faisalabad, Pakistan, shahzad10542005@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Shahzad Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: R Russell M
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Paterson
authors.forename: Ijaz A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Bhatti
authors.forename: Muhammad R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Asi
authors.forename: Munir A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.forename: Haq N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Bhatti