Elucidating aflatoxins profile and recommended detoxification procedures in corn, rice, and wheat

Corn, rice, and wheat are the basic and fundamental foods among Pakistan’s widely consumed crops. Total aflatoxins (B1+B2+G1+G2) are carcinogenic fungal species that badly deteriorate food crops. The current study is aimed to identify total aflatoxins in different samples of corn, rice, and wheat consumed in the Punjab province of Pakistan and to assess various low-cost and practical detoxification techniques for lowering aflatoxin levels found in these crops. To achieve this, 80 samples each of corn, rice, and wheat products (n = 240) were collected. The collected crop samples underwent analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the quantification of aflatoxins. Results showed that 69.58% of the crop samples were suitable, while 30.42% were not suitable for human consumption. The majority of corn samples in the Punjab province were discovered to be contaminated and unsuitable for consumption. The highest level of contamination (amounting 545 μg/kg) was detected in a corn sample from district Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The highly contaminated crop sample was subjected to different detoxification methods, such as physical, chemical, and biological/natural means. After treatment with different detoxifiers, reduction in total aflatoxins was quantified by using HPLC. Results showed that maximum detoxification was obtained by cooking (physical method), by using 20% citric acid (chemical method), and by using probiotics (biological method).