Question

Give Detailed explanation on the following:

1. What foods contain aflatoxins?
2. Does cooking kill aflatoxins?

Answer 1

Aflatoxin is a toxic substance produced by some molds like Aspergillus parasiticus. These molds are found in soil, grains and decaying vegetables. Aflatoxins are mutagenic and carcinogenic in nature.

Aflatoxin is found in improperly stored stapled foods like tree nuts, sorghum, rice, cottonseeds, chilli peppers, peanuts etc. When these are processed, aflatoxin enters into human food and animal feed. When animals eat feed. It enter into food chain. From animals and birds it pass through milk, meat, eggs to humans. No animal is immune to aflatoxin. FDA has set a limit for alfatoxin to be in food. It should not more than 300 ppb. Aflatoxin causes liver necrosis and cirrhosis.

Heating at temperature higher than incineration will kill the molds and aflatoxin. Heating under pressure has more effect for destroying aflatoxin.

In case of nuts heating or roasting will kill the molds and lead to arrest of aflatoxin production. But the aflatoxin produced by molds that is already present in food will not removed by roasting. Aflatoxin already present is removed by heating above incineration temprature or heating under pressure. Because heat under pressure is more effective and has more penetration power.