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Efficacy of natural non-toxic materials including extracts of onion and garlic as well as eugenol was tested against aflatoxin production by A. flavus in liquid SMKY medium and in maize grains. Maximum inhibition in the mycelial growth occurred with garlic extract (61.94%), whereas inhibition of aflatoxin production was highest (60.44%) due to onion extract. Eugenol was most suitable for inhibiting aflatoxin production (60.35%) on maize grains.

The occurrence of aflatoxins in some common food commodities: wheat, gram and maize flours is reported. Of the total 416 collections during three years (1987-1989) 162 were recorded to be aflatoxin-positive. The incidence of aflatoxins was maximum in the samples of 1987. Most of the contaminated samples contained aflatoxins at levels above 20 micrograms/kg. The environmental conditions and traditional agronomic and storage practices relating to aflatoxin incidence are discussed.

Maize in flood-affected areas in the Bhagalpur district of India in 1985 demonstrated heavy infestations of Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxins. Sixty samples collected from various field lots were positive in the bright greenish yellow fluorescence test. However, only 42 of those samples were found to be contaminated with deleterious levels of aflatoxins. Factors affecting aflatoxin contamination are discussed.

This paper deals with the natural occurrence of aflatoxins in some common drug plants collected from storehouses in Bihar, India. Of 15 samples analyzed, 14 were aflatoxin positive. The highest level of aflatoxin contamination was detected in the seeds of Piper nigrum (1.20 micrograms/g), followed by the level detected in the seeds of Mucuna prurita (1.16 micrograms/g), and the lowest level was detected in the bark of Acacia catechu (0.09 micrograms/g). Of 158 isolates of Aspergillus flavus obtained from as many samples of drug plants, 49 were found to be toxigenic. The amount of aflatoxin B1 elaborated by the toxigenic isolates was in the range of 0.86 to 5.24 micrograms/ml of culture filtrate.

In a multicenter study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research, 1,646 samples of wheat grain collected from rural and urban areas of 10 states representing different geographical regions of India were analyzed for aflatoxin (AFBI). AFB, concentrations of ⩾5 µg kg-1 were recorded in 40.3% of the samples, and concentrations above the Indian permissible regulatory limit of 30 µg kg-1 were found in 16% of the samples. The proportion of samples with AFB1 concentrations above the Indian regulatory limit ranged from 1.7 to 55.8% in different states, with the minimum in Haryana and the maximum in Orissa. The variation in wheat contamination among states seems to be mainly the result of unsatisfactory storage conditions. Median AFB1 concentrations of 11, 18, and 32 µg kg-1 were observed in samples from Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Orissa, respectively; concentrations in other states were <5 µg kg-1. The maximum AFB1 concentration of 606 µg kg-1 was observed in a sample from the state of Uttar Pradesh. The calculated probable daily intakes of AFB, through consumption of contaminated wheat for the population in some states were much higher than the suggested provisional maximum tolerable daily intake. Human health hazards associated with such AFB1 exposure over time cannot be ruled out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under a multi-centre study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research, 1511 samples of parboiled rice were collected from rural and urban areas of 11 states representing different geographical regions of India. These samples were analysed for contamination with aflatoxin B 1. The presence of aflatoxin B 1 at levels?=?5?µg?kg -1 was found in 38.5% of the total number of samples of the parboiled rice. About 17% of the total samples showed the presence of aflatoxin B 1 above the Indian regulatory limit of 30?µg?kg -1 . No statistically significant difference in percentage of samples contaminated with >30?µg?kg -1 was observed between pooled rural (19.4%) and urban (14.5%) data. A median value of 15?µg?kg -1 of aflatoxin B 1 was observed in samples from Assam, Bihar and Tripura. In all other states surveyed the median value was [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]