Interpretation of aflatoxin

1. Aflatoxin pollution is widespread in the world.

Aflatoxin (AF) was first discovered in 1960. It is a secondary metabolite of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. At present, more than 12 kinds of AF have been isolated and identified, including aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, G2, M1, M2, B2a, G2a, BM2a and GM2a. Aflatoxins have excellent thermal stability and are difficult to decompose by conventional cooking and heating.

Aflatoxins are widely contaminated all over the world, including cereals, nuts, seeds and milk, especially corn and peanuts. The main reason is that food is contaminated by toxin-producing bacteria such as Aspergillus flavus before harvesting in the field, propagates and produces toxins under suitable conditions such as temperature and humidity, or is not fully dried, and produces a large amount of toxins during storage. The first cold-pressed peanut oil raw material selection Shandong Jiaodong export grade big peanut, five-stage screening, low temperature cold storage, harsh temperature, humidity storage environment, strict protection of raw material nutrition, removal of aflatoxin.

When you find peanut kernels slightly yellowing or even blackening, bitter taste, wrinkle discoloration, unsaturated granules, and mildew-like appearance, it is very likely that the peanut red coat has been contaminated by aflatoxin. If the manufacturer does not select raw materials strictly, the use of mildewed peanuts may cause aflatoxin to exceed the standard. The process of low temperature drying "stripping red clothes" which must be adopted in the processing of raw materials in the first workshop can strictly screen and completely strip the red clothes on the surface of raw peanut kernels. This process can well guarantee the high quality and pollution-free of raw materials for peanut oil pressing and eliminate them. Aflatoxin residues in common peanut oil caused by germination and mildew of peanut raw materials.

2. Intake determines whether aflatoxin causes acute poisoning.

Several cases of aflatoxin poisoning have been reported worldwide, such as mildew cassava cake poisoning in Africa and mildew corn poisoning in India. The largest acute aflatoxin poisoning event in Kenya was reported in 2004-2005. More than 1,000 people were poisoned and 125 died. The content of aflatoxin B1 in poisoned maize reached 4400 ppb (ug/kg), which is a rare aflatoxin poisoning event. The symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning are usually transient fever, vomiting, anorexia, jaundice, ascites, edema of lower limbs and other symptoms of liver poisoning, and fulminant liver failure and death occur in severe cases.

3. Great importance has been attached to the control of aflatoxins in food worldwide.

Aflatoxin B1 is one of the major mycotoxins affecting human and animal health. It is also the most important mycotoxin in global food safety control. According to the World Food and Feed Mycotoxin Regulation Report issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2003, in addition to the provisions of the International Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), more than 100 countries and regions around the world have established aflatoxin limitation standards for various foods. The limit range of aflatoxin B1 in food is 1-20 ppb, and the limit range of aflatoxin total (AFB1, B2, G1, G2) is 0-35 ppb.

The National Food Safety Standard (GB2761-2011) issued by China in 2011 stipulates that the limit of aflatoxin B1 in peanuts and their products is 20 ppb.

Aflatoxin in the first cold pressed peanut oil showed "undetected" in the test results.

4. Oil squeezing seems to be a potential safety hazard in the original ecosystem.

In recent years, "pure nature" and "original ecology" have become the pursuit of some consumers. In addition to purchasing "crude oil", there are also ways to use home-made oil press. For these two ways of oil extraction, experts believe that there are greater security risks. In addition to the quality of raw materials, there are still the following problems: no refining, impurities, oxidative deterioration; oil extraction equipment is not easy to thoroughly clean, residual oil stains and grain residues will produce mildew after oxidation, food safety risks are great; in addition, low resource utilization will cause great waste. Therefore, it is suggested that consumers should be cautious in dealing with health problems and choose regular businesses and products.

Experts recommend that:

(1) Scientific researchers should strengthen the research on aflatoxin pollution and control measures from field management to processing process, so as to provide more effective scientific and technological support for ensuring food safety.

(2) Food production and processing enterprises with maize and peanuts as their main raw materials, especially the "earth-pressed oil" production workshop, should strictly implement the national food safety standards and related technical specifications, take active and effective measures, attach importance to the safety of raw materials, strictly control each production link, and ensure the quality and safety of products.

(3) Consumers should pay attention to cultivate good consumption habits, pay attention to the labels and labels of products, and store them properly during the shelf life. Special attention should be paid to the purchase of edible oil through regular and reliable channels, and not to one-sided superstition of "pure natural" and "original ecological" products.