Aflatoxins in hazelnuts and dried figs: Occurrence and exposure assessment.
A total of 300 samples of hazelnuts and dried fig were analysed for the incidence of any aflatoxins (AFs). High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) method was used to quantify the amounts of AFs. The limit of quantification varied from 0.21 to 0.30μgkg(-1). No AFs were detected in shells of the hazelnuts, while six raw hazelnut kernel samples (12%) and five roasted hazelnut kernel samples (8.3%) contained AFs ranging from 0.09 to 11.3μgkg(-1) and from 0.17 to 11.2μgkg(-1), respectively. Sixteen dried fig samples (12.3%) contained AFs ranging from 0.1 to 28.2μgkg(-1) and a mean value of 3.8μgkg(-1). Three hazelnuts and six dried fig samples exceeded the European maximum limits (MLs) of 5 and 2μgkg(-1) for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), respectively. The contribution of hazelnuts to AFs exposure is higher than that of dried figs.
Hitit University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Food Engineering, TR-19030 Corum, Turkey. Electronic address: bulentkabak@hitit.edu.tr.
Bulent
B
Kabak
D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000032:analysis*; D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D031211:Corylus / Q000737:chemistry*; D030681:Ficus / Q000737:chemistry*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*
D000348:Aflatoxins; D016604:Aflatoxin B1
Aflatoxin B(1) (PubChem CID: 14403); Aflatoxin B(2) (PubChem CID: 2724360); Aflatoxin G(1) (PubChem CID: 14421); Aflatoxin G(2) (PubChem CID: 2724362); Aflatoxins; Dried fig; Exposure; Food safety; HPLC-FLD; Hazelnut; Occurrence