ABSTRACT
The aflatoxins are undoubtedly the most documented of all mycotoxins and have a wide product presence. While the aflatoxins have at times been detected in most agricultural commodities, their presence is of particular significance in corn, cottonseed, groundnuts, and treenuts. The economics of many developing countries rely heavily on the export of specific agricultural raw materials and due to insufficient drying equipment, coupled with generally humid atmospheric conditions can lead to unacceptable levels of aflatoxins in harvested groundnuts, palm kernels, and corn. Each year a significant proportion of the world’s grain (especially corn) and oil seed supply will be contaminated with the aflatoxins. Aflatoxins can be acutely toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, and immunosuppressive to most mammalian species. There have been many strategies directed to the reduction or detoxification of aflatoxins in grains and oilseeds with varying levels of effectiveness.
