Exposure to Aflatoxins in Denmark

Abstract

Highly sensitive immunoassays have been developed to quantitate human exposure to aflatoxins. Using a competetive ELISA, one or more substances recognized by a monoclonal antibody against aflatoxin Bl were detected in urine samples collected in Denmark. The concentration of the urinary alfatoxin-like substance was equivalent to 0-8 ug aflatoxin Bl/day/adult. The amount of urinary aflatoxin-like substance depends on the food ingested 24-48 hrs prior to urine collection, and is increased when the diet include beer, dairy products and meat. High pressure liquid chromatography analysis of the antigenic material concentrated on an affinity column revealed the presence of several antigenic compounds, that are different from the known aflatoxin metabolites. The major component is cytotoxic to Salmonella thypimurium (3 ng equivalent AFB/plate) when tested without the S9 activation system. It is suggested, that the antigenic material is produced by enzymatic degradation of animal proteins from animals fed AFB-contaminated animal feed.