Aflatoxin B₁ and ochratoxin A in imported and Lebanese wheat and -products

ABSTRACT

AFB₁ and OTA are produced in food products due to climatic conditions like temperature and humidity. In Lebanon, few studies address AFB₁ and OTA contamination in wheat and wheat products. In this study, a total of 312 samples of wheat and wheat products were collected from different sites, including port, silos, mills, and supermarkets were analysed. Wheat and wheat products consumption in Lebanon was quantified using a food frequency questionnaire. Exposure to AFB₁ and OTA was calculated and liver and kidney cancer risk were evaluated. Results showed that AFB₁ and OTA were, respectively, found in 65.7% and 100% of the samples, with 0.6% and 17.6% exceeding the maximum limit set by the European Commission. AFB₁ was shown to be associated with 0.076 additional cancer cases per 100,000 persons per year and OTA weekly exposure was shown to be 53.2 ng/kg bw, which is less than the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake of 100 ng/kg bw.

KEYWORDS:

• Aflatoxin B₁
• ochratoxin A
• wheat
• food hazards
• daily exposure
• cancer risk

Acknowledgments

This study was funded and supported by the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), the research council of Saint-Joseph University of Beirut (USJ) and the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS-L). We thank the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture for their support through the study and the Lebanese Ministry of Economy and Trade (MOET) for supporting and facilitating the sampling procedures from the Lebanese grain silos.

Declaration of interest

The authors acknowledge that no financial interests or benefit has appeared to influence or arise from the work reported in this paper.