Review of the Biological and Health Effects of Aflatoxins on Body Organs and Body Systems
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Date
2013
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
InTech
Abstract
Aflatoxins are a group of naturally occurring carcinogens that are known to contaminate different
human and animal food stuffs. Aflatoxins are poisonous by-products from soil-borne
fungus Aspergillus, which is responsible for the decomposition of plant materials [1-9]. The
occurrence of aflatoxins foods and food products vary with geographic location, agricultural
and agronomic practices. The susceptibility of food product to fungal attack occurs during
pre-harvest, transportation, storage, and processing of the foods [1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 10]. The problem
of aflatoxin contamination of the food products is a common problem in tropical and
subtropical regions of the world especially in the developing countries such as the sub-Saharan
countries with poor practices and where the environmental conditions of warm temperatures
and humidity favors the growth fungi [1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 10]. The various food products
contaminated with aflatoxins include cereals like maize, sorghum, pearl millet, rice and
wheat; oilseeds such as groundnut, soybean, sunflower and cotton; spices like chillies, black
pepper, coriander, turmeric and zinger; tree nuts such as almonds, pistachio, walnuts and
coconut; and milk and milk products [11].
Description
Keywords
Aflatoxins, Body Organs, Body Systems
Citation
Bbosa, G. S., Kitya, D., Lubega, A., Ogwal-Okeng, J., Anokbonggo, W. W., & Kyegombe, D. B. (2013). Review of the biological and health effects of aflatoxins on body organs and body systems. Aflatoxins-recent advances and future prospects, 12, 239-265.