title: Moisture content and its impact on aflatoxin levels in ready-to-use red chillies.
abstract: Moisture content (MC) and aflatoxin contamination were analysed to determine Red Chilli quality. A wide range (9.1-19.8%) of MC with a mean value of 11.4 ± 2.4% was found. Of 116 chilli samples, about 37% had low MC (<10%), 29.4% had medium-low MC (10-12%), 18.9% had medium-high MC (12 < MC < 14%) and 14.7% were above 14%. These four chilli groups had average aflatoxin levels of 2.1 ± 1.1, 5.3 ± 4.2, 8.9 ± 5.9 and 37 ± 20 µg/Kg, respectively. A direct relationship between moisture and aflatoxin content was found. The data best fitted a polynomial trend (R² = 0.89). The obtained equation could be utilised to assess aflatoxin levels based on MC. This study highlights the importance of using properly dried chillies with low MC, that is, ≤10%, to minimise health hazards associated with aflatoxin contamination.
authors.affiliation: a Food Quality and Safety Research Institute, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council , University Block, University of Karachi , Karachi , Pakistan.
authors.forename: Najmus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sahar
authors.forename: Saqib
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arif
authors.forename: Sajid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: Qurat Ul Ain
authors.initials: QU
authors.lastname: Afzal
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aman
authors.forename: Jahan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ara
authors.forename: Mubarik
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmed
mesh_terms: D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D002212:Capsicum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000032:analysis*; D002947:Cities; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000737:chemistry / Q000191:economics / Q000378:metabolism; D003906:Developing Countries; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D057140:Fast Foods / Q000032:analysis / Q000191:economics; D005506:Food Contamination; D005511:Food Handling; D005513:Food Inspection / Q000379:methods*; D063427:Food Quality; D057141:Food, Preserved / Q000032:analysis* / Q000191:economics; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D057230:Limit of Detection; D010154:Pakistan; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017365:Spices / Q000032:analysis / Q000191:economics; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D014867:Water
keywords: aflatoxin contamination; moisture content; ready-to-use red chilli