Risk Assessment Of Aflatoxins In Nuts And Nut Products Amongst Adult Population In The State Of Pulau Pinang

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Date
2011-06
Authors
Leong, Yin Hui
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Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Aflatoxins have been identified the most serious threat to public health among the known mycotoxins, due to their highly toxic and carcinogenic effect in human and animals. In this study, risk assessment of aflatoxins in nuts and nut products amongst adult population in Pulau Pinang State was conducted. This study involved collecting data on nuts (groundnuts, tree nuts and their products) consumption by selected respondents from five districts of Pulau Pinang, analysis of contamination levels of aflatoxins in nuts, and estimation of risk on aflatoxins exposure using the margin of exposure (MOE) approach. Comparison and verification of results between dietary exposure with the biomarker assessment was carried out. A total of 364 subjects (129 men and 235 women) participated in the study; 54.4% were Malays, 64.6% were female and 76.1% were from Seberang Perai. Average total nuts consumption of 0.77 g/day among adults was found to be no gender-specific difference but was significantly different (P < 0.05) among ethnic groups with the highest among Indians (0.94 g/day). Kuih pau kacang was the most consumed product (median = 0.81 g/day). A confirmatory analytical method for aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1 and G2) with the aflatoxin M1 as the internal standard, using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry had been developed and validated. Samples were extracted using methanol:water (60:40, v/v) and immunoaffinity column clean-up technique. Aflatoxins were detected in 73/128 (57%) of the nuts samples; contamination levels ranged from 0.40 – 221.61 μg/kg for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and 0.33 – 273.63 μg/kg for total aflatoxins with the highest in fried peanut. AFB1-lysine adduct was detected in 165/170 (97%) of serum samples. Estimated dietary for low and high exposures were 0.36 and 8.89 ng/kg bw/day, respectively, which reflected an intake of 0.02 – 0.53 μg AFB1 per day. This dietary exposure estimation was in line with the AFB1- lysine adduct results (ranged 0.20 – 23.16 pg/mg albumin), which suggested a calculated intake value of 0.01 – 0.60 μg AFB1 per day.
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Keywords
Risk assessment of aflatoxins in nuts , nut products amongst adult population
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