Incidence of contamination with aflatoxin in precooked corn flour, corn grain and cracked corn

A study was carried out to determine the presence and content of aflatoxins in 90 samples of precooked corn flour (23 yellow and 67 white), 40 samples of corn grain (30 yellow and 10 white), and 30 samples of yellow cracked corn. No aflatoxin was detected in white corn grain. The other investigated samples showed the following rates of contamination: yellow corn grain, 10%, ranging from less than 5 to greater than 10 ppb; yellow cracked corn, 16.6%, ranging from less than 5 to greater than 20 ppb; and white corn flour, 6%, and yellow corn flour, 87%. Of 14 aflatoxin positive samples tested, only 1 contained more than 20 ppb, the administrative guideline established by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The results of this survey do not appear alarming because of the relatively low incidence and low levels of aflatoxin detected. However, since Venezuela is a big consumer of corn and corn-derived products, a more detailed investigation is suggested to establish the realistic levels of aflatoxin in these commodities.