Quantification Of Aflatoxin B1 Research Articles

AFB1-responsive mesoporous silica nanoparticles for AFB1 quantification based on aptamer-regulated release of SERS reporter

In this study, we propose a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method for quantifying aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). This method relies on the target-triggered release of a SERS reporter from aptamer-sealed aminated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs). These MSNs were synthesized to accommodate 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid (4-MPBA) within their well-defined micropores, which were subsequently sealed with AFB1 aptamers. Upon specific binding of AFB1 to its aptamer, the conformational change in the aptamer is regulated by the presence of the target. Consequently, a positive linear relationship between the AFB1 concentration and the 4-MPBA SERS signal was observed. Under optimal conditions, the method exhibited a good linear relationship over the range of 0.1 to 5 ng/mL AFB1, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.03 ng/mL. This strategy was validated using wheat samples, yielding results comparable to high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector (P > 0.05), confirming its reliability for detecting AFB1 in complex food matrices.

Prevalence and Quantification of Aflatoxin B1 in Broiler Meat and Poultry Feed at Different Zones of Sindh, Pakistan

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and levels of aflatoxin B1 in broiler meat and feed samples from various zones of Sindh, Pakistan, conducted at Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, during 2022-2023. A total of 360 broiler meat and feed samples, with 120 from southern, central, and northern zones, were collected from retail shops and poultry farms. All samples were screened for aflatoxin B1 using the ELISA Bio-Shield Total Extra Sensitive Kit. Negative samples were spiked with 5 and 10g/kg aflatoxin B1 for validation. The southern zone had the highest contamination of aflatoxin B1 in broiler meat (58.33%; 36.50±2.08 µg/Kg) and feed (67.50%; 66.20±1.15 µg/Kg), followed by the central zone (40.00%; 32.60±1.64 µg/Kg) and the northern zone (25.00%; 20.90±2.82 µg/Kg). Contamination levels in feed samples were also higher in the southern zone compared to central (48.30%; 56.25±0.87µg/Kg) and northern (28.30%; 47.55±1.50 µg/Kg) zones. The aflatoxin B1 levels in both meat and feed samples exceeded the FDA-recommended limit of 20 µg/Kg, posing a significant risk to food safety. These findings highlight the urgent need for a monitoring plan to mitigate aflatoxin contamination in broiler meat, poultry products, and feedstuffs across Sindh, Pakistan, to ensure safer food production.

Immunochromatographic Strip Based on Tetrahedral DNA Immunoprobe for the Detection of Aflatoxin B1 in Rice Bran Oil.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a widespread contaminant in food and feeds, poses a threat to the health of animals and humans. Consequently, it is significant to develop a rapid, precise and highly sensitive analytical method for the detection of AFB1. Herein, we developed an immunochromatographic strip (ICS) based on a tetrahedral DNA (TDN) immunoprobe for AFB1 determination in rice bran oil. Three sizes of TDN immunoprobes (AuNP-TDN13bp-mAb, AuNP-TDN17bp-mAb, AuNP-TDN26bp-mAb) were constructed, and the performance of these three immunoprobes, including the effective antibody labeling density and immunoaffinity, was measured and compared with that of the immunoprobe (AuNP-mAb) developed using the physical adsorption method. Subsequently, the optimal TDN immunoprobe, namely AuNP-TDN13bp-mAb, was selected to prepare the immunochromatographic strip (ICS) for the qualitative and quantitative detection of AFB1 in rice bran oil. The visual limits of detection (vLODs) of the ICS based on AuNP-TDN13bp-mAb and AuNP-mAb were 0.2 ng/mL and 2 ng/mL, with scanning quantitative limits (sLOQs) of 0.13 ng/mL and 1.4 ng/mL, respectively. The ICS demonstrated a wide linear range from 0.02 ng/mL to 0.5 ng/mL, with good specificity, accuracy, precision, repeatability, and stability. Moreover, a high consistency was observed between the constructed ICS and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) in the quantification of AFB1. The results indicated that the introduction of TDN was beneficial for promoting efficient antibody labeling, protecting the bioactivity of immunoprobes, and increasing the sensitivity of detection, which would provide new perspectives for the achievement of the highly sensitive detection of mycotoxins.

Colorimetric detection of the potent carcinogen aflatoxin B1 based on the aggregation of L-lysine-functionalized gold nanoparticles in the presence of copper ions.

L-lysine functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs-Lys) have been widely used for the detection of worldwide interest analytes. In this work, a colorimetric assay for the detection of the carcinogen aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) based on the aggregation of AuNPs-Lys in the presence of copper ions was developed. For this purpose, AuNPs were synthesized in citrate aqueous solution, functionalized, and further characterized by UV-Vis, fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In general, AuNPS-Lys (~2.73 × 1011 particles) offered a clear colorimetric response in the presence of AFB1 and Cu2+ ions showing linearity in the range of 6.25 to 200 ng AFB1/mL, with a detection limit of 4.18 ng AFB1/mL via photometric inspection. Moreover, the performance of the proposed methodology was tested using the 991.31 AOAC official procedure based on monoclonal antibodies in maize samples artificially contaminated with AFB1. There was a good agreement between the measured AFB1 concentrations in both assays, the average recoveries for the colorimetric and immunoaffinity assays were between 91.2-98.4% and 96.0-99.2%, respectively. These results indicated that the colorimetric assay could be used as a rapid, eco-friendly, and cost-effective platform for the quantification of AFB1 in maize-based products.

Assessing the prevalence of aflatoxin B1 in poultry feed in Dakar, Senegal: implications for animal and public health

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a mycotoxin that can contaminate a wide variety of foodstuffs such as animal feed. Most of the ingredients used in livestock feed are highly susceptible to contamination, with a propensity to release residues in products intended for human consumption. In the case of the poultry industry, the ingestion of contaminated feed by poultry can lead to alterations in their sanitary and zootechnical performance. It also may cause a food safety problem related to the presence of mycotoxin residues in animal products. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and level of AFB1 in poultry feeds/ingredients used or marketed in the city of Dakar and its suburbs, and to discuss the potential risks to animal and human health. In total, 68 samples of starter, grower, finisher, pullet, and layer feeds and 2 ingredients samples were analysed. The research and quantification of AFB1 were done using the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method, as described in ISO 14718. The results showed that all (100%) of the samples were contaminated with levels ranging from less than 0.1 ppb to 52.3 ppb in the feeds. The level in ingredients samples were 0.5 and 177.5 ppb respectively for the fish flour and peanut meal. Of all the samples analysed (feeds and ingredients), 5.7% had contamination levels above the allowable limits for poultry feed. Given these results and the threat to public health posed by the increasing consumption of poultry products, it would be judicious to systematically include the research of mycotoxins in raw materials, along with the bromatological analyses used for food formation. Additionally, a study on mycotoxin residues in foodstuff from poultry would be of great interest for the protection of public health and food safety.

Quantification of Aflatoxin B1 by thin layer chromatography in present peanut samples contaminated by Aspergillus flavus commercialized in Brazil

The quantification of aflatoxin B1 was performed in (CCD) samples of peanut grains positive in culture media for Aspergillus flavus fungi from the city of São José dos Campos - SP; Brazil, comparing the results with the reference values of aflatoxin B1 allowed by ANVISA legislation. According to previous research, we obtained 4 positive samples in culture medium for Aspergillus flavus fungi, where these samples for this study were ground and then performed the following 4 steps of (Extraction, Extract Purification, Liquid Extraction and Thin Layer Chromatography) - Eluted with 5 ml of chloroform, polar substance capable of diluting the aflatoxin B1 being polar substances, after that they were revealed the silica plates in UV light - 366 nm where it was determined the values of Rf (Retention Factor) give each sample, then the results were applied in the formula of quantification of aflatoxin B1. We obtained positive results for 1 sample of the 4 with presence of A. flavus in the culture medium of peanut grains, but only in sample 11 we obtained the presence of aflatoxin B1 in high quantity with about 25.5 µg/kg, It concludes that the contaminated sample is above the ANVISA reference values, causing great pathological and neoplastic impact to the health of human beings, affirming that still there was limitrophic presence of aflatoxin B1 in sample 10, causing serious pathological and neoplastic problems, attributing that this present study and research stimulates and gives the basis of stimuli for unedited creation of anti-aflatoxin B1 serums.

MnO2 nanoflowers based colorimetric and fluorescent dual-mode aptasensor for sensitive detection of aflatoxin B1 in milk

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) with tremendous toxic effects has caused a serious threat to food security. Accurate quantification of AFB1 in food can effectively prevent the risk of human intake of AFB1. Herein, a colorimetric and fluorescent dual-mode aptasensor for accurate and sensitive detection of AFB1 has been developed based on MnO2 nanoflowers (MnO2NFs) for the first time. MnO2NFs could catalyze the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) into blue oxidation product (TMBox) by H2O2, which would be used for visible detection of AFB1. Simultaneously, MnO2NFs can be served as a signal amplifier and reduced by ascorbic acid to generate lots of Mn2+ which would quench the fluorescence of calcein for fluorescent detection of AFB1. Both colorimetric and fluorescent methods have been successfully applied for determination of AFB1 in milk samples with satisfactory results. The proposed dual-mode detection method with high detection sensitivity and accuracy showed great promise for monitoring AFB1 in food.

Sensitive detection of aflatoxin B1 in foods by aptasensing-based qPCR

In this study, a reproductive switch DNA template was designed using aptasensing principles for the accurate quantification of aflatoxins. The template transformed the aflatoxin molecule into linear DNA of 102 nt. The linear DNA was subjected to a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to determine its initial copy number, which was positively correlated with the aflatoxin concentration. Using aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) as a model, the established method could quantify AFB1 within the range of 10-16–10-11 Mol/mL (detection limit equals 0.03 pg/mL), with a linear correlation coefficient R2 of 0.974. Good anti-interference abilities against common food ingredients and high specificity towards other mycotoxins were demonstrated. The established method was successfully applied for the quantification of AFB1 in complex foods such as soy sauce, milk, yellow wine, and peanut butter. The design of a reproductive switch template introduces a novel approach for the sensitive detection of small-molecule toxicants in foods.

High-performance electrochemiluminescence sensors based on ultra-stable perovskite quantum dots@ZIF-8 composites for aflatoxin B1 monitoring in corn samples

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) that is prone to contaminate corns brings a serious threat to human health. Therefore, it is of great significance to construct novel detection methods for AFB1 tracing. Here, methylamine perovskite quantum dots (MP QDs) encapsulated by ZIF-8 metal–organic frameworks (MP QDs@ZIF-8) were prepared and then ultra-stable electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensors were developed. By the confinement of cavities structure, multiple MP QDs were crystallized and embedded inside ZIF-8 to form MP QDs@ZIF-8, achieving stable and robust ECL responds in aqueous environment. Further combined with AFB1-imprinted polymer, the constructed ECL sensor showed good selectivity and ultra-sensitivity (the detection limit was 3.5 fg/mL, S/N = 3) with a wide linear range from 11.55 fg/mL to 20 ng/mL for AFB1 quantification. Satisfactory recoveries in corn samples indicated the reliable practicability of the proposed sensor for AFB1 assay. This work provided a novel pathway in designing high-performance ECL sensing platform for food safety.

Development of portable and reusable optical fiber chemiluminescence biosensing platform for rapid on-site detection of Aflatoxin B1

A portable and reusable optical fiber chemiluminescence biosensing platform (OFCBP) was constructed for rapid and on-site detection of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) using optical fiber as biorecognition probe and chemiluminescence (CL) signal transducer. Combining with all-fiber optical structure and microfluidics injection system, the OFCBP was suitable for on-site and automatic detection of AFB1 with little sample consumption (∼40.0 µL). Based on indirect competitive sandwich-like immunoassay principle and CL signal amplifying strategy, the ultrasensitive quantification of AFB1 was achieved using OFCBP system. The affinity constant of AFB1-OVA conjugates/anti-AFB1 antibody, anti-AFB1 antibody/HRP-coupled secondary antibody were determined to be 1.69 × 105 M−1 and 1.06 × 104 M−1, respectively. Under optimal conditions, the linear detection range and limit of detection of AFB1 were 0.67 ∼ 100 ng/mL and 0.075 ng/mL, respectively, which was comparable with the reported AFB1 immunoassay methods. The robustness of the AFB1-OVA conjugates modified biosensor surface allowed multiple AFB1 bioassays with little activity loss, ensuring accurate and cost-effective detection results. The practicability and accuracy of the OFCBP fulfill the requirements of AFB1 identification in real samples by evaluating its response to various spiked water. The OFOCB system offer a reliable and convenient method for rapid on-site detection of other targets in the field of environment, food, and medical diagnosis.

Rapid Detection of Aspergillus flavus and Quantitative Determination of Aflatoxin B1 in Grain Crops Using a Portable Raman Spectrometer Combined with Colloidal Au Nanoparticles.

Aspergillus flavus and Aflatoxins in grain crops give rise to a serious threat to food security and cause huge economic losses. In particular, aflatoxin B1 has been identified as a Class I carcinogen to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Compared with conventional methods, Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) has paved the way for the detection of Aspergillus flavus and Aflatoxins in grain crops as it is a rapid, nondestructive, and sensitive analytical method. In this work, the rapid detection of Aspergillus flavus and quantification of Aflatoxin B1 in grain crops were performed by using a portable Raman spectrometer combined with colloidal Au nanoparticles (AuNPs). With the increase of the concentration of Aspergillus flavus spore suspension in the range of 102–108 CFU/mL, the better the combination of Aspergillus flavus spores and AuNPs, the better the enhancement effect of AuNPs solution on the Aspergillus flavus. A series of different concentrations of aflatoxin B1 methanol solution combined with AuNPs were determined based on SERS and their spectra were similar to that of solid powder. Moreover, the characteristic peak increased gradually with the increase of concentration in the range of 0.0005–0.01 mg/L and the determination limit was 0.0005 mg/L, which was verified by HPLC in ppM concentration. This rapid detection method can greatly shorten the detection time from several hours or even tens of hours to a few minutes, which can help to take effective measures to avoid causing large economic losses.

An ultrasensitive CH3NH3PbBr3 quantum dots@SiO2-based electrochemiluminescence sensing platform using an organic electrolyte for aflatoxin B1 detection in corn oil

Mycotoxins contamination, especially aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in edible oils, is a health hazard. Therefore, AFB1 trace analysis methods are urgently needed. Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a popular sensing method because of its low background interference and high sensitivity. However, existing ECL assays for AFB1 detection are based on aqueous rather than oil systems. Herein, we report a CH3NH3PbBr3 quantum dots (MAPB QDs)@SiO2-based ECL sensor for AFB1 quantification in corn oil using an organic electrolyte. The luminophore loading and stability of the MAPB QDs@SiO2 particles were significantly improved compared to those of bulky MAPB materials, resulting in an enhanced ECL response. Further, exploiting molecular imprinting technology, an ECL sensor for AFB1 detection with an ultra-low detection limit of 8.5 fg/mL was prepared. The reliability of the sensor was confirmed by comparable recoveries of corn oil samples with those obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography, indicating its potential for food safety evaluation.

How do Time, Tannin, and Moisture Content Influence Toxicogenic Fungal Populations during the Storage of Sorghum Grains?

Cereal grains are usually ensiled to improve their nutritional value and are one of the main sources of feed for dairy cattle. However, during storage, grains can be contaminated with toxicogenic fungi. Sorghum is one of the most economically important cereals in the world. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of storage duration and tannin and moisture content (MC) on toxicogenic fungal populations in sorghum grain storage. Samples that were prepared with varieties high in tannins (genotypes Morgan 108 and ACA 558, >5 g/kg dry matter) and with varieties low in tannin content (genotypes Flash 10 and ACA 546, <1 g/kg dry matter) were collected and manually compacted in experimental laboratory silos where they received different MC treatments: low (15 to 25%), medium (26 to 32%), and high (33 to 42%). Freshly harvested grains were analyzed at time 0, and stored grains were analyzed at 30, 90, and 180 days. Fungal isolation and identification were performed following conventional mycological methods. Penicillium citrinum (34%), Aspergillus flavus (60%), and Fusarium nygamai (68%) were the most abundant species. Rapid detection of aflatoxins and fumonisins in each sample was performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay according to the AOAC method, and the quantification of aflatoxin B1 was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography. In four samples of pre- and poststorage grains, aflatoxins were detected with levels of 6.7 to 28.8 μg/kg and aflatoxin B1 with a level of 2 to 14 μg/kg. Fumonisins were only detected in two freshly harvested samples, with levels of 500 to 900 μg/kg. In general, storage time favored the increase of Penicillium populations and reduced Aspergillus and Fusarium. Conversely the abundance of the three populations was not affected by the MC. The results of this study show that fungal populations must be analyzed at different times.

A fluorescent aptasensor for the detection of Aflatoxin B1 by graphene oxide mediated quenching and release of fluorescence

Aflatoxin B1 contamination in food and agro commodities has been major concern of global food safety and trade industry. There is an urgent need to develop sensitive and on-site detection methods for aflatoxins mainly, AFB1 monitoring. In the present study, a fluorophore (Alexa Fluor 488) based aptamer biosensor was devised in combination with graphene oxide (GO) for the detection of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). The optimized diagnostic procedure consisted of a fluorescent modified aptamer (Ax-AFLA5) as detection probe and GO mediated quenching of the same; to the quenched system AFB1 was added resulting in subsequent release of fluorescence. The principle of GO based adsorption of ssDNA and successive desorption in the presence of target mycotoxin was utilised in development of the bioassay. In presence of target mycotoxin, the GO adsorbed ssDNA attained a structural conformation resulting in desorption and subsequent release of fluorescence. Assay parameters such as concentration of fluorescent probe, GO and incubation time were evaluated and optimized. The optical signal thus generated could determine presence of AFB1 in the given sample. Selectivity of the method with other mycotoxins was evaluated. The linear range of AFB1 from 0.2–200 ppb was assessed. Visible green fluorescence release was observed at 20 ppb under UV transilluminator and the detection limit of the developed assay was interpreted as 20 ppb of AFB1. The suitability of the assay for AFB1 quantification in groundnut and natural samples was also evaluated. Thus, the developed assay can be a field deployable, reliable and rapid alternative tool for onsite screening method of aflatoxins and other mycotoxins at field level.

Application of SWIR hyperspectral imaging coupled with chemometrics for rapid and non-destructive prediction of Aflatoxin B1 in single kernel almonds

Almonds are highly susceptible to Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination, which can result in significant economic losses. Current detection techniques are destructive, time consuming and unfit for in-line application. This study investigated the potential of hyperspectral imaging in the near infrared (NIR) range (900–1700 nm) to develop a rapid and non-destructive protocol for determination of AFB1 content of single almond kernels. Almond kernels were treated to varying AFB1 concentration by artificial infection using standard AFB1 solution and used for Experimentation. Reference AFB1 concentration and their association with the spectral data were modelled using partial least squares regression (PLSR) combined with suitable spectral preprocessing techniques. Superior models were obtained with full-spectrum regression models with R2 and RMSEP values of 0.958 and 0.089 μg/g, respectively. Competitive-adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) was used to select the feature wavelengths for rapid quantification of AFB1 at commercial scale. Multiple linear regression (MLR) models were developed using the selected wavelengths for its applicability in multispectral imaging systems. Results showed that the MLR model achieved good prediction capabilities with R2 and RMSEP values of 0.948 and 0.090 μg/g, respectively. The results demonstrated that hyperspectral imaging had potential for rapid and nondestructive determination of AFB1 concentration in single kernel almonds.

Simultaneous Rapid Detection of Aflatoxin B1 and Ochratoxin A in Spices Using Lateral Flow Immuno-Chromatographic Assay.

Spices are susceptible to contamination by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA), which are both mycotoxins with high toxicity and carcinogenicity. In this study, we aimed to develop an immuno-chromatographic strip test for the simultaneous quantification of AFB1 and OTA in spices by spraying the coupled antigens AFB1–ovalbumin (AFB1–OVA) and OTA–ovalbumin (OTA–OVA) on a nitrocellulose membrane. The test strip had high sensitivity, good specificity, and strong stability. The detection limits of these two mycotoxins in Chinese prickly ash, pepper, chili, cinnamon, and aniseed were 5 μg/kg. The false positivity rate was 2%, and the false negativity rate was 0%. The maximum coefficient of variation was 4.28% between batches and 5.72% within batches. The average recovery rates of AFB1 and OTA in spices were 81.2–113.7% and 82.2–118.6%, respectively, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was <10%. The actual sample detection was consistent with high performance liquid chromatography analysis results. Therefore, the immuno-chromatographic test strips developed in this study can be used for the on-site simultaneous detection of AFB1 and OTA in spices. This method would allow the relevant regulatory agencies to strengthen supervision in an effort to reduce the possible human health hazards of such contaminated spices.

Antibody conjugated magnetic nanoparticle based colorimetric assay for the detection and quantification of aflatoxin B1 in wheat grains

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a most potent carcinogenic secondary metabolite produced byAspergillus flavus. As a food safety concern, development of a rapid, cost effective, sensitive and easy to use method for the detection of aflatoxin is of prime requirement. In this study, AFB1 was conjugated with bovine serum albumin (BSA), and AFB1-BSA conjugate was purified by HPLC. Purification was confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The polyclonal antibody was raised against AFB1-BSA conjugate in rabbit and purified by protein A sepharose and BSA sepharose affinity columns. Iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesised by co-precipitation method and their surface was functionalised with (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES). Size of APTES conjugated MNPs was determined by electron microscopy, and characterised by several biophysical techniques. The purified anti-AFB1 antibody was conjugated with surface functionalised MNPs and the conjugation was confirmed by determining the sizes of free and antibody conjugated MNPs by field emission scanning electron microscope where increase of particle sizes from 10-20 to 40-50 nm was observed due to antibody conjugation. Anti-AFB1 antibody conjugated MNPs were used for capturing AFB1 from the aflatoxin spiked wheat grains with a recovery percentage of more than 80% and used effectively five times. The captured AFB1 was then quantified by a sensitive colorimetric assay where colourless AFB1 was first converted into coumaric acid by NaOH. Subsequently, coumaric acid reacted with 2,6-dibromoquinone-4-chloroimide (DBQC) to a green-coloured indophenol product which was quantified spectrophotometrically. AFB1 contamination as low as 2 μg/kg in wheat grains was detected by the developed technique suggesting its potential application for both qualitative and quantitative analysis of aflatoxins present in feed and food materials.

Aggregation triggered aflatoxin B1 determination in foodstuff employing 5-aminotetramethylrhodamine decorated gold–silver core–shell nanoparticles in surface enhanced Raman scattering

The current study examines aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) as the indicator of the total aflatoxins in wheat with a 5-aminotetramethylrhodamine (NH2-Rh)-decorated gold–silver core–shell nanoparticles ([email protected] CSNPs) sensor based surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) strategy, using Hg(II) as the media. The principle of the work was based on the selective interaction of Hg(Ⅱ) media with AFB1 via carbonyl oxygen atoms to inhibit the aggregation of NH2[email protected] CSNPs sensor. Due to the nanogap effect induced by sensors aggregation, the quenching in SERS intensity was an indication for AFB1 selective quantification. Under the optimized experimental conditions, a detection limit of 0.03 ng·mL−1 was obtained with a correlation coefficient R2 = 0.9895 within the dynamic range of 0.1–5.0 ng·mL−1. This quantification of AFB1 was further coupled with solid-phase extraction in real wheat, hazelnut, and peanut oil samples. The strategy was validated by standard HPLC-FLD approach and was in a good agreement. The proposed detective system offers a promising platform for the rapid determination of traces AFB1 residue in foodstuff with high selectivity and economical efficiency.

Rapid Detection and Quantification of Aflatoxin B1 in Milk Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Rapid Detection and Quantification of Aflatoxin B1 in Milk Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Standardization and validation of a high-performance thin-layer chromatography method for the quantification of aflatoxin B1 and its application in surveillance of contamination level in marketed food commodities from the Mumbai region

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a natural carcinogenic contaminant of agricultural product regulated at parts per billion (ppb) level; therefore, a validated method for the analysis of AFB1 is extremely important. In this study, a high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method was standardized and validated with respect to linearity, sensitivity, precision, and accuracy for the quantification of AFB1. Three extraction techniques using different solvent systems, namely QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) method, Contaminants Branch method and Best Foods method were evaluated for AFB1 extraction efficiency in food commodities, wherein QuEChERS method using acetonitrile‒methanol (40:60, V/V) gave maximum recovery of AFB1 in all commodities. Maximum AFB1 was recovered in dried chilli sample (89.98%), whereas the least recovery was obtained in wheat sample (68.20%). The optimized HPTLC method with chloroform‒acetone (9:1, V/V) as the mobile phase showed a compact AFB1 band at RF value of 0.36 ± 0.02. The linear regression analysis of AFB1 showed good linearity over 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 ng/spot with a regression value of 0.9923 and %RSD less than 1. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were found to be 1.133 ng/band and 3.434 ng/band, respectively. The optimized HPTLC method was further used to assess the AFB1 content in marketed samples of groundnut, corn, rice, wheat and dried chillies from the Mumbai region and it was found that 8 groundnut samples, 5 corn samples, 5 wheat samples, and 7 chilli samples out of 20 each had AFB1 concentration above Indian permissible regulatory limit of 30 ppb.