Aflatoxin

BeschreibungAflatoxins are naturally occurring bisfuranocoumarin compounds produced from the molds Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. The aflatoxins are highly fluorescent. The B refers to blue and the G signifies green fluorescence. M aflatoxins are fungal metabolites present in milk. Aflatoxin B1 is the most common and potent of the aflatoxins. Crops that are affected by aflatoxin contamination include cereals (maize, sorghum, rice, wheat), oilseeds (peanut, sunflower, soybean, cotton), spices (chili peppers, black pepper, coriander, turmeric, ginger), and tree nuts (almond, coconuts, brazil nuts, walnuts, pistachio). Aflatoxin can also be found in the milk, eggs, and meat from animals fed contaminated feed.

VerwendenAflatoxins are used solely for research purposes. They are naturally occurring contaminants formed by certain fungi on agricultural crops, first discovered in the 1960s (IARC 1976).