Determination of Aflatoxin B1 in Wheat Flours Factories of Alborz Province, Iran

Background: Fungi are one of the main causes of degradation in feeds and foodstuffs. Fungal infections in plants can result in reduced yield and quality of the products, which lead to economic losses. AflatoxinB1 (AFB1) is a secondary fungal metabolite produced in proper conditions. It is considered as a public health concern due to its adverse effect on human and animal. This study was carried out to determination of AFB1 in wheat flour and wheat bran samples of Alborz province factories. Methods: A total of 180 wheat flour and 60 wheat bran samples were collected from 20 Alborz province factories. HPLC method with immune-affinity chromatography was applied to measure AFB1 in three types of flour including Barbary, Tafton, and Sangag (A, B, and C). It was performed both in different manufactures and within three groups of flours regardless of the type of manufactures. Statistical analysis was conducted by the One-way ANOVA with post-hoc test. Results: According to the findings, 144 out of 180 wheat flour samples and 54 out of 60 wheat bran samples were found to be contaminated with AFB1. The amount of AFB1 in wheat flour and wheat bran samples was detected to be 0.01-0.5 ng/g and 0.06-0.99 ng/g, respectively. The highest means of AFB1 in Sangag, Barbary, and Tafton flours from different manufactures were 0.5, 0.4 and, 0.3 ng/g, respectively. In addition, no significant difference was found within three groups of Barbary (A), Tafton (B), and Sangag (C) flours samples (p>0.05). Despite the contamination of wheat flour and wheat bran samples, there was no contamination higher than the standard limit of Iran Standard Institute (ISRI) and European Union (EU) 2 ng/g, 5 ng/g, respectively. Conclusions: Since wheat flours are widely used in foods preparation, determination of contamination with AFB1 in wheat-based products is highly essential in order to prevent the potential adverse effects on health. As the level of AB1 in the current study was low, it is not a serious concern for consumers at this time.