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Introduction
Mycotoxins are produced from various species of fungi. They are commonly found
in many food items. Mycotoxins may exist in any stage of food products including
production, processing, and preservation. Owing to the chemical stability, they may
persist long-lasting even after the eradication of fungi [1]. Aflatoxins (AFs) are
considered as most frequently found mycotoxins in food products. Primarily,
researchers isolated this toxin from Aspergillus flavus that is why it is called as
aflatoxin (“a” was taken from Aspergillus and “fla” from the word flavus). There
are almost 20 AFs intermediates produced from Aspergillus species [1, 2].
Chemically, AFs belong to furanocoumarins family. They have two basic structures
difurocoumarocyclopentenone (such as aflatoxicol, AFB1, AFB2, AFB2A, AFM1,
AFM2, and AFM2A) and difurocoumarolactone (such as AFGM1, AFGM2,
AFGM2A, AFB3, AFG1, AFG2, and AFG2A). AFs are called as AFB and AFG
due to blue and green fluorescent light emitted, respectively, under UV light during
thin-layer chromatography. However, numbers 1 and 2 denote major and minor
compounds, respectively [3, 4].
AFs contamination is majorly found in the cereal-based products including
maize, rice, sorghum, dried cassava, millet, groundnuts. It may also be found in
other kinds of food items owing to poor processing or storage conditions.
Additionally, it may also be found in animal products like milk or eggs due to contaminated feed provided to the animals [1, 5]. Trout, ducklings, rats, cattle, swine,
and poultry are a few examples of the animals that are sensitive for AFs-contaminated
feed [5]. AFs are regarded as a naturally found food-borne toxin that is associated
with different diseases and massive deaths both in humans and animals. That is why
they are of special health concern globally [6]. Among all kinds of AFs, AFB1 is
considered as the most hazardous toxin with great potential for mutagenicity and
carcinogenicity to humans and livestock. AFB1 has been categorized into group I
carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer [7]. The risk of
carcinogenicity induced by AFs depends on various other factors such as hepatitis
B infection, age, gender, nutritional status, and concentration of AFs consumed [8,
9]. Additionally, AFs also have the potential for the induction of immunotoxicity in
various species [10]. AF may slow down the blastogenic response towards the mitogens, reduce the compliment titers, decrease the macrophage activation, and depress
the delayed hypersensitivity response [11].
Aflatoxin Outbreak
In 1974, a massive outbreak of AFs-induced hepatitis happened in Rajasthan and
Gujarat, India. This outbreak resulted in almost 106 deaths [12]. This major outbreak remained for two months and it was just retained within tribal areas where
people were taking aflatoxin-contaminated maize food. The earliest analysis
S. Sabir et al.
Introduction
Mycotoxins are produced from various species of fungi. They are commonly found
in many food items. Mycotoxins may exist in any stage of food products including
production, processing, and preservation. Owing to the chemical stability, they may
persist long-lasting even after the eradication of fungi [1]. Aflatoxins (AFs) are
considered as most frequently found mycotoxins in food products. Primarily,
researchers isolated this toxin from Aspergillus flavus that is why it is called as
aflatoxin (“a” was taken from Aspergillus and “fla” from the word flavus). There
are almost 20 AFs intermediates produced from Aspergillus species [1, 2].
Chemically, AFs belong to furanocoumarins family. They have two basic structures
difurocoumarocyclopentenone (such as aflatoxicol, AFB1, AFB2, AFB2A, AFM1,
AFM2, and AFM2A) and difurocoumarolactone (such as AFGM1, AFGM2,
AFGM2A, AFB3, AFG1, AFG2, and AFG2A). AFs are called as AFB and AFG
due to blue and green fluorescent light emitted, respectively, under UV light during
thin-layer chromatography. However, numbers 1 and 2 denote major and minor
compounds, respectively [3, 4].
AFs contamination is majorly found in the cereal-based products including
maize, rice, sorghum, dried cassava, millet, groundnuts. It may also be found in
other kinds of food items owing to poor processing or storage conditions.
Additionally, it may also be found in animal products like milk or eggs due to contaminated feed provided to the animals [1, 5]. Trout, ducklings, rats, cattle, swine,
and poultry are a few examples of the animals that are sensitive for AFs-contaminated
feed [5]. AFs are regarded as a naturally found food-borne toxin that is associated
with different diseases and massive deaths both in humans and animals. That is why
they are of special health concern globally [6]. Among all kinds of AFs, AFB1 is
considered as the most hazardous toxin with great potential for mutagenicity and
carcinogenicity to humans and livestock. AFB1 has been categorized into group I
carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer [7]. The risk of
carcinogenicity induced by AFs depends on various other factors such as hepatitis
B infection, age, gender, nutritional status, and concentration of AFs consumed [8,
9]. Additionally, AFs also have the potential for the induction of immunotoxicity in
various species [10]. AF may slow down the blastogenic response towards the mitogens, reduce the compliment titers, decrease the macrophage activation, and depress
the delayed hypersensitivity response [11].
Aflatoxin Outbreak
In 1974, a massive outbreak of AFs-induced hepatitis happened in Rajasthan and
Gujarat, India. This outbreak resulted in almost 106 deaths [12]. This major outbreak remained for two months and it was just retained within tribal areas where
people were taking aflatoxin-contaminated maize food. The earliest analysis
S. Sabir et al.