Airborne aflatoxin in the grain processing industries in India

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Occupational Health
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Aflatoxins are toxic metabolites produced by certain molds, commonly found in grains like rice and maize.
• Exposure to airborne aflatoxins in occupational settings poses a potential health risk to workers.
• Grain processing facilities can generate dust containing various contaminants, including mycotoxins.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify airborne aflatoxin levels in rice and maize processing plants.
• To compare aflatoxin concentrations in respirable dust versus total dust samples.
• To identify specific areas within processing plants with higher airborne aflatoxin contamination.

Main Methods:

• Airborne aflatoxin was assayed using an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
• Samples were collected from different areas within rice and maize processing plants.
• Dust samples were categorized into total dust and respirable dust fractions (< 7 microns).

Main Results:

• Airborne aflatoxin was detected in respirable dust samples from both rice and maize plants.
• Aflatoxin levels were consistently higher in respirable dust compared to total dust in the rice mill.
• The maize plant's elevator, loading/unloading area, and oil mill showed significant airborne aflatoxin in respirable dust, with the oil mill having the highest concentration (816 pg/m3).

Conclusions:

• Airborne aflatoxin contamination is present in rice and maize processing environments.
• The respirable fraction of dust is a critical indicator for airborne aflatoxin exposure in these settings.
• Specific high-risk areas, such as the maize oil mill, require targeted control measures to mitigate worker exposure.