Contamination Conditions
Aflatoxin-producing members of Aspergillus are common and widespread in nature. They can colonize and contaminate grain before harvest or during storage. Host crops are particularly susceptible to infection by Aspergillus following prolonged exposure to a high-humidity environment, or damage from stressful conditions such as drought, a condition that lowers the barrier to entry.
The native habitat of Aspergillus is in soil, decaying vegetation, hay, and grains undergoing microbiological deterioration, and it invades all types of organic substrates whenever conditions are favorable for its growth. Favorable conditions include high moisture content (at least 7%) and high temperature.
The toxin can also be found in the milk of animals that are fed contaminated feed.
International sources of commercial peanut butter, cooking oils (i.e. olive oil, etc.), and cosmetics have been identified as contaminated with aflatoxin. In some instances, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and other analytical methods, revealed anywhere from 48–80% of selected product samples as containing detectable quantities of aflatoxin. In many of these contaminated food products, the aflatoxin exceeded FDA, or other regulatory agency, safe limits.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has established action levels for aflatoxin present in food or feed to protect human and animal health.
Levels must not exceed:
| ppb | Criterion |
|---|---|
| 20 | For all food for human consumption and for corn and other grains intended for immature animals (including immature poultry) and for dairy animals, or when its destination is not known, and for animal feeds, other than corn or cottonseed meal |
| 100 | For corn and other grains intended for breeding beef cattle, breeding swine, or mature poultry |
| 200 | For corn and other grains intended for finishing swine of 100 pounds or greater |
| 300 | For corn and other grains intended for finishing (i.e., feedlot) beef cattle, and for cottonseed meal intended for beef cattle, swine or poultry. |
Read more about this topic: Aflatoxin
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