Detection of aflatoxins in tomato and pepper pastes in Istanbul, Turkey

Year 2022, Issue: 35, 221 - 226, 07.05.2022

Leyla Öner , Duygu Elif Yılmaz , Hasan Demirci , Tülin Özbek , Sezgin Çelik

https://doi.org/10.31590/ejosat.1074060

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the amount of total aflatoxins and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in tomato and pepper pastes sold in farmer’s markets in Istanbul to evaluate whether aflatoxin levels were within the standards regarded as safe (<5 µg kg-1). For this purpose, a total of 64 samples, including 26 tomato pastes, 15 paprika pastes, and 23 chili pastes, were analysed using two different detection methods, enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). By ELISA, aflatoxins were detected in 27 samples (1–2.5 µg kg-1), and AFB1 was detected at a level of 1 µg kg-1 in 20 samples. Furthermore, 21 of 64 samples were found to contain aflatoxins (0.21–2.34 µg kg-1), with 16 of them contaminated with AFB1 (0.22–2.34 µg kg-1) by HPLC. The obtained result showed that both methods are suitable for aflatoxin determination in tomato and pepper paste samples and the samples have been proven to be within the standards considered as safe.

Keywords

Aflatoxin, tomato, pepper, paste, ELISA, HPLC.

Supporting Institution

Yildiz Technical University Scientific Research Projects Coordinatorship (YTU/BAPSIS)

Project Number

2015-01-07-KAP04

Thanks

We would like to thank Martin Thomson for language editing and Yasar Demirci for map design.

İstanbul, Türkiye’de domates ve biber salçalarinda aflatoksin tespiti

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı, İstanbul'daki semt pazarlarında satılan domates ve biber salçalarında bulunan toplam aflatoksin ve aflatoksin B1 (AFB1) miktarını belirlemek ve aflatoksin düzeylerinin güvenli kabul edilen standartlar (<5 µg kg-1) içinde olup olmadığını değerlendirmektir. Bu amaçla 26 adet domates salçası, 15 adet acı biber salçası ve 23 adet biber salçası olmak üzere toplam 64 numune, enzim bağlantılı immünoabsorban tahlili (ELISA) ve yüksek performanslı sıvı kromatografisi (HPLC) olmak üzere iki farklı tespit yöntemi kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. ELISA ile 27 örnekte (1–2.5 µg kg-1) aflatoksin, 20 örnekte AFB1 1 µg kg-1 düzeyinde tespit edildi. Ayrıca HPLC sonuclarina göre, 64 numuneden 21'inin aflatoksin (0.21–2.34 µg kg-1) içerdiği ve bunların 16'sının AFB1 (0.22–2.34 µg kg-1) ile kontamine olduğu bulundu. Elde edilen sonuçlara göre, domates ve biber salçası örneklerinde aflatoksin tayini için her iki yöntemin de uygun olduğunu görülmüştür ve numunelerin güvenli kabul edilen standartlar içinde olduğu kanıtlanmıştır.

Keywords

Aflatoksin, domates, biber, salça, ELISA, HPLC

Project Number

2015-01-07-KAP04

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