Aflatoxins in corn and rice sold in Lahore, Pakistan

A survey was conducted to evaluate aflatoxin contamination of commonly used food in Lahore, Pakistan. In this context, 1125 samples of various food commodities were collected from various areas of Lahore city. In corn-based products AFB1 was detected in 52% (range 2.0-1405.3 µg kg(-1)) and AFB2 in 25% (range 1.0-55.2 µg kg(-1)) of the samples. In super kernel basmati rice, 13.3% of the samples (range 1.1-32.9 µg kg(-1)) showed the presence of AFB1, 1.9% was contaminated with AFB2 (range 1.0-8.1 µg kg(-1)) and only one sample exhibited the presence of AFG1. As far as the status of basmati rice is concerned, 18.3% was contaminated with AFB1 (range 1.0-15.4 µg kg(-1)) and 2% was contaminated with AFG1. In 42.9% of parboiled rice (range 1.1-9.2 µg kg(-1)) and 36.4% of broken rice (range 2.1-25.3 µg kg(-1)), samples were contaminated with AFB1.