Aflatoxin contaminated foods and health risk perspective for Pakistani population

Aflatoxin is a hepatotoxic, carcinogenic, immunosuppressive, antinutritional contaminant of many staple food commodities. Contamination may develop as a result of fungal action before, during and harvest and during storage. Conditions favorable for natural aflatoxin contamination of foods occur at latitudes between 40°N and 40°S of the equator. Human exposure is controlled in developed countries by regulations and capitalintensive, large-scale food production systems that make such regulations practical. But this is not the case in developing countries, wherein prevailing food production systems and economic conditions make management of aflatoxin contamination impractical. Cumulative aflatoxin exposure has been considered as one of the risks of liver cancer. Thus low exposure rates, particularly for the people in developing countries with HBV become significant. Aflatoxin contamination levels of various foods have been suggested to be associated with occurrence of liver cancer in Karachi. Animal studies show that aflatoxin also interferes with vitamins A and D, iron, selenium, and zinc nutrition. Risk of immunosuppression is well established in farm and laboratory animals, and immune system involvement of aflatoxin is confirmed for humans. To prevent future aflatoxicosis outbreaks, it is necessary to explore public health interventions that promote effective production, storage, and processing of homegrown and commercial grains. In addition, risks associated with aflatoxin-contaminated foods can be reduced through the use of specific processing and decontamination procedures. It is important to note that many herbs such as garlic extract and lemongrass extract etc. posses an inhibitory role against Aspergillus flavus and its aflatoxin production. Food preparation, which incorporates such commodities, may be blended with the fungal inhibitors at the starting point of their storage/processing to prevent from the aflatoxin contamination. Restricted human exposure is ensured by strict legislation.