Determination of aflatoxin risk components for in-shell Brazil nuts

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Mycology
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Aflatoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by certain fungi.
• Brazil nuts are susceptible to fungal contamination and subsequent aflatoxin production.
• Assessing aflatoxin risk in Brazil nut production is crucial for food safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the risk of aflatoxin contamination in Brazil nuts.
• To determine the distribution of aflatoxins in different fractions of in-shell Brazil nuts.
• To identify high-risk fractions for aflatoxin accumulation.

Main Methods:

• Samples of in-shell Brazil nuts were collected from processing plants in Amazonia, Brazil.
• Samples were separated into five fractions: good kernels, rotten kernels, good shells with kernel residue, good shells without kernel residue, and rotten shells.
• Aflatoxin concentrations were analyzed in each fraction using established analytical methods.

Main Results:

• Brazil nut shells were found to be contaminated with aflatoxins.
• Rotten nuts represented a high-risk fraction, contributing 76.6% of the total aflatoxin mass despite comprising only 4.2% of the sample mass.
• High correlations were observed between aflatoxin concentrations in in-shell samples and defective fractions.

Conclusions:

• Rotten nuts are a critical indicator and significant source of aflatoxin contamination in Brazil nut lots.
• The study provides process factors to estimate aflatoxin levels in edible portions based on in-shell and kernel analyses.
• Effective quality control measures targeting defective nuts are essential for mitigating aflatoxin risk in Brazil nuts.