title: Assessment of aflatoxins, ochratoxin A and zearalenone in breakfast cereals.
abstract: Aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA) and zearalenone (ZEN) were analysed in 237 breakfast cereal samples collected from central areas of Punjab, Pakistan. According to the results, 41% of the samples were found contaminated with AFs, out of which 16% and 8% samples were found to be above the European Union (EU) maximum content for AFB1 and total AFs, respectively. About 48% samples were found contaminated with OTA and 30% samples were found to be above the EU maximum content. The results have shown that 53% samples of breakfast cereals were found contaminated with ZEN and 8% samples were found to be above the permissible limit of EU. The highest mean level of AFB1 and total AFs were found in semolina i.e. 3.60 and 4.55 μg/kg, respectively. Similarly, semolina was the highest contaminated breakfast cereal for OTA (3.90 μg/kg), while cornflakes (brand B) was found highest contaminated with ZEN (13.45 μg/kg).
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Government College University Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan; Food Safety Research Centre (FOSREC), Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: shahzad10542005@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Shahzad Zafar
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Government College University Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Tehmeena
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rabbani
authors.affiliation: Food Toxicology Lab, Plant Protection Division, Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Rafique
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Asi
authors.affiliation: Food Safety Research Centre (FOSREC), Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: sjinap@gmail.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jinap
mesh_terms: D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D009793:Ochratoxins / Q000737:chemistry*; D014908:Triticum / Q000737:chemistry*; D015025:Zearalenone / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D009793:Ochratoxins; C025589:ochratoxin A; D015025:Zearalenone
keywords: Aflatoxins; Breakfast cereals; Mycotoxins; Ochratoxin A; Zearalenone