Aflatoxin distribution in edible oil-extracting plants and in poultry feedmills

The occurrence and distribution of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in the raw materials and products of three plants for extracting edible oils and in two poultry feedmills in which by-products of the oil extraction were used for feed formulation were investigated. While levels of aflatoxins were high in the products and by-products from the three extraction plants, the levels in the poultry feeds produced in the feedmills were found to be relatively low. The latter finding may reflect the proportion of pellets included in the feedstock formulation, while the climatic differences in the areas in which the extraction plants were situated were a possible factor in the differing levels of aflatoxin found in the samples from the three extraction plants.