Aflatoxins intake from peanut candy marketed in Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil

Abstract

Paçoca is a very popular product of indigenous origin that is widely consumed by children, especially during the annual folkloric celebrations in June and July in Brazil. One of the main risks of this peanut candy is contamination by aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are natural contaminants produced mainly by the aflatoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, and have important toxic effects for humans, such as, acute aflatoxicosis and risk of cancer  development. This work aimed to determine the levels of aflatoxins in 36 different brands of paçoca samples marketed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during the period of folkloric celebrations in 2012, and to estimate the aflatoxins intake by children and adolescents using a Food Frequency. Questionnaire applied to 157 individuals. The aflatoxins were quantified by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Fluorescence Detection in 72 paçoca samples (100%). Twentyseven samples (37.4%) were positive for aflatoxins and ten (13.8%) showed aflatoxins levels higher than the limit established by Brazilian legislation for peanut products (20 µg/kg). The overall average corresponded to 4.9 µg/kg and the highest value found was 39.6 µg/kg. The Probable Daily Intake (PDI) of aflatoxins through the consumption of paçoca corresponded to 1.37 ng/kg body weight (b.w.). Children aged from 8 to 11 were the most exposed to these mycotoxins, which may pose a significant risk to their health. This is the first report to be made showing levels of aflatoxinas in a peanut product marketed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Full paper available at: http://www.ifrj.upm.edu.my/23%20(02)%202016/(38).pdf

International Food Research Journal 23(2): 733-738 (2016)