Description

Abstract: Aflatoxins are toxic compounds produced by some strains of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. Under favorable conditions of temperature and humidity, these fungi grow in foods such as peanuts, corn and pistachio nuts and produce aflatoxins. The major aflatoxins of health concern are aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, and G2, with B1 being the most toxic. Once ingested these aflatoxins are known to produce acute necrosis, cirrhosis, and carcinoma of the liver in a number of animals and humans. Despite improved food handling and processing the food industry, (especially cereal and oilseed industries) is unable to prevent aflatoxin contamination. Products contaminated with aflatoxin levels higher than 20 ng/g are unfit for human consumption and are often discarded causing economic losses. Thus, new ways to detoxify contaminated peanut product are needed to limit the economic loss and add value to the peanut industry. The objectives of this study are to 1) develop methods of detoxification (deactivation) through selection processing conditions/additives that eliminate aflatoxin in peanut and peanut products, and 2) quantify the level of aflatoxin destruction. Peanut samples were inoculated with known concentrations of aflatoxins. Contaminated and control samples were subjected to ozonation with and without the acid/alkali and heat treatments. Following detoxification, peanut samples were extracted using acetonitrile/water and extracts cleaned using Oasis prep columns. Samples were derivatized in triflouracetic/acetic/water solution in a 65