Aflatoxins in cotton seeds and cotton seed cake from Pakistan

ABSTRACT

A study was conducted to evaluate the natural occurrence of aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2) in cotton seeds (n = 110) and cotton seed cake (CSC; n = 110) from Pakistan. All samples were screened by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA). Positive samples were further quantified by IAC-HPLC-FLD. Total contamination frequency and aflatoxins mean levels were 80% and 69 μg/kg in cotton seeds and the corresponding values for cotton seed cake 88% and 89 μg/kg, respectively. Aflatoxin B1was found in all positive samples and co-occurred with AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2. Sixty-four cotton seeds and 71 CSC samples contained aflatoxins levels higher than the ML set for animal feed (20 µg/kg). The results of the present study will help the regulatory authorities to formulate strategies for monitoring aflatoxins in animal feeds.

KEYWORDS:

• Aflatoxins
• cotton seeds
• cotton seed cake
• HPLC
• animal feed

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge with great thanks the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan, for providing the financial support to carry out this research under project no. 6713/Sindh/NRPU/R&D/HEC/2015.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.