Aflatoxin in pistachio nuts used as ingredients in Gaz sweets produced in Isfahan, Iran

In Isfahan province of Iran, pistachio and almond are used specifically as ingredients to produce Gaz sweets, which are a typical product of Isfahan and exported to many countries. In this survey, 112 samples were gathered from different corresponding Gaz producers from 2007 to 2012 to evaluate the occurrence of aflatoxins (AF) in these products. Samples were analysed for AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2 using immunoaffinity column clean-up (IC) and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. Among the samples analysed, AFB1 was detected in 13.4% of the samples above the maximum limit (ML) as set in Iran (5 µg/kg). Total AF (AFT) was above the ML in 9.8% of the samples. This study showed that full consideration is equally essential for nuts used as ingredients in special food products such as the Gaz sweets as for nuts for direct human consumption. It suggests a need for modifying the current trend of supervision.