Abstract

AFLATOXINS – SIX DECADES OF RESEARCH. 1. CERTAINTY OF AFLATOXINS OCCURRENCE AND PREVALENCE

*Saad M. Magdy

Abstract

Recently and after 6 decades of research on aflatoxins and aflatoxicosis, since the first famous outbreak report of turkey X-disease in 1960, mentioning the etiological causing factor by the term "aflatoxin", a lot of literature and reports had been published. The available literature and reports contain bulk of knowledge with different levels of certainty. Some published data could be accepted as approved scientific evidence, while others could not be accepted at all, meanwhile the great bulk of work could represent assumptions and suggestions. Revising the available literature and data is very important to help and facilitate the job of researchers, decision makers and others who are interesting the issue of food safety. Hereby, some selected topics representing wide range of the factors affecting occurrence and prevalence of aflatoxins including, not limited to; causative organisms, seasons of occurrence, environmental factors affecting aflatoxins occurrence, geographical zones, methods of detection, socioeconomic considerations.

Keywords: Aflatoxins – Aflatoxicosis - Aspergillus flavus – Aspergillus parasiticus – contamination – certainty – risk analysis.