Abstract
Aflatoxins are toxic metabolites produced by Aspergillus species in raw materials and foodstuffs from agricultural sources. Due to the fact that aflatoxins are potentially carcinogenetic, it is important to have reliable analytic methods that allow determining their levels in food matrices. The main aim of this investigation was to validate the method for aflatoxins determination by high performance liquid chromatography in corn arepas, which are widely consumed in the Colombian coffee region. The evaluated parameters were robustness, selectivity, linearity, sensitivity, repeatability, intermediate precision and recovery. The methodology was successfully validated with and optimal selectivity, linearity > 0.9998, limits of detection and quantification lower than 0.10 µg kg −1 , relative standard deviation 76.6%. Also, 144 corn arepas samples were analyzed and aflatoxins were found in 9.72% of them, with levels between 0.95 and 11.56 µg kg −1 .
Highlights
Aflatoxins (AF) are toxic secondary metabolites produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus in foods and feeds from agricultural sources.[1]
The LOD of AFB1 was 0.1 ng mL−1, which allows to quantify the contents of this aflatoxin in a arepa sample and to establish if it is according to international normativity where the maximum allowed content is 2 μg kg−1.25 These results demonstrate that the validated method is very sensible for detecting and quantifying aflatoxins and concur with those obtained by other authors who have even detected a concentration of AFB1 as low as 0.008 μg kg−1.24,26,27
The results of our study indicate that the occurrence of aflatoxins in corn arepas marketed in the city of Manizales (9.72%) is relatively low compared with those reported in other countries like Ecuador (26%),[33] Venezuela (16.6%),[33] Mexico (56%),[34] and Peru (82%).[35]
Summary
Aflatoxins (AF) are toxic secondary metabolites produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus in foods and feeds from agricultural sources.[1]. Given the broad array of contamination susceptible matrices, the possible concurrence of various mycotoxins and the wide concentrations range, it is necessary to validate the methods to determine the aflatoxins levels in foods. The corn arepa is the most consumed maize product in Colombia, reaching 83.1% in the central-western region of the country.[11] This food is one of the foodstuffs in Colombia with a high susceptibility to be contaminated with aflatoxins, because the mycotoxigenic mold may grow on maize from cultivation, storage or even when the corn arepas are being processed.[12,13] surveys concerning corn and their products intended for human consumption are necessary in determining the risk of aflatoxins for consumers. The purpose of this study was to validate the HPLC with fluorescence detector method for the determination of AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2 in white corn arepas and to establish the aflatoxins levels in arepas commercialized in Manizales, Colombia
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
