Mycotoxins and mycotoxigenic fungi in Libyan nuts: I. Presence of aflatoxins in nuts collected from local market in Tripoli.

الملخص

Aflatoxins are considered the most carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic substances found naturally in foods and feeds . These metabolites cause liver damage to humans and to most experimental animal species tested. Conducted a survey to assess the level of contamination of nuts by aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2, in the local market in Tripoli Libya during summer,2009. Natural occurrence of aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2 in almonds , Br. almonds , hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts and Peanuts samples collected from local market in Tripoli . The percentages of positive samples with aflatoxins were 33.3,40,20, 13.3,26.6 and 53.3% for almonds , Br. almonds , hazelunts, cashews, walnuts and peanuts .The concentrations of aflatoxin B1 were ranged between (0.9- 5.3,1.4- 7.8, 1.2 -5.4, 2.1- 3.4, 1.6-7.8 and 2.4-10.9 ( µg/kg ) respectively. Aflatoxin B2 were found in Br. almonds ranged from (2.2-3.5 µg/kg) and in peanut (7.6-8.4 µg/kg).These results indicate the contamination of nuts with aflatoxins B1 and B2 were in various concentrations, this difference depends on type of nuts and environmental conditions, as well as the availability of nutrients to the fungus.