Survey of aflatoxins in maize tortillas from Mexico City.
In Mexico, maize tortillas are consumed on a daily basis, leading to possible aflatoxin exposure. In a survey of 396 2-kg samples, taken over four sampling days in 2006 and 2007 from tortilla shops and supermarkets in Mexico City, aflatoxin levels were quantified by HPLC. In Mexico, the regulatory limit is 12 µg kg⁻¹ total aflatoxins for maize tortillas. In this survey, 17% of tortillas contained aflatoxins at levels of 3-385 µg kg⁻¹ or values below the limit of quantification (<LOQ) and, of these, 13% were >12 µg kg⁻¹ and 87% were below the regulatory limit. Average aflatoxin concentrations in 56 contaminated samples were: AFB1 (12.1 µg kg⁻¹); AFB2 (2.7 µg kg⁻¹); AFG1 (64.1 µg kg⁻¹) and AFG2 (3.7 µg kg⁻¹), and total AF (20.3 µg kg⁻¹).
a Departamento de Ciencias Químicas , Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria , 04510 México , D.F., México.
Pável
P
Castillo-Urueta
Magda
M
Carvajal
Ignacio
I
Méndez
Florencia
F
Meza
Amanda
A
Gálvez
D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D001939:Bread / Q000032:analysis* / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis*; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology; D005506:Food Contamination; D005511:Food Handling; D005513:Food Inspection / Q000379:methods*; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008800:Mexico; D009153:Mutagens / Q000032:analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013723:Teratogens / Q000032:analysis; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry*
D000348:Aflatoxins; D002273:Carcinogens; D009153:Mutagens; D013723:Teratogens
aflatoxins; cereals; cereals and grain; cooked foods; environmental contaminants; mutagenic compounds; mutagens; mycotoxins; plants; processed foods; trace elements (toxic)