Aflatoxin B1 Content in Deoiled/Oil Cakes, Cattle Feeds and Damaged Grains during Different Seasons in India

Abstract

Deoiled groundnut and groundnut oil cake (137 samples), damaged grains (26 samples) and cattle feed (171 samples), collected periodically in different seasons from different regions of India during 1990 to 1992, were evaluated for aflatoxin B1 content in 2 different laboratories. The coefficients of variations of the results from the laboratories were 10 and 6%, when the same poultry feed sample was analysed 10 times for aflatoxin B1. Among 97 samples of groundnut (deoiled and oil cakes), aflatoxin B1 content was 200 and 2000 mg/kg in 51 and 10% of samples, respectively. In southern and western regions, 25% of groundnut deoiled cake samples had aflatoxin B1 ranging from 400 to 800 mg/kg. About 90% of samples of other oil cakes (mustard, cottonseed and sunflower) had aflatoxin B1 at below detectable levels. Cattle feed and damaged grains (barley, maize, jowar and wheat) samples had aflatoxin B1 <50 mg/kg in 81 and 92% of samples, respectively