Aflatoxins lethality

The majority of toxicants in foods are contaminants, (e.g., microbial toxins, pesticide residues, leachable chemicals from packaging materials, food coatings, traces of heavy metals). However, the major issue in food safety is the contamination of food by mycotoxins in items such as milk and milk products, meat and meat products, and peanuts (groundnuts). Aflatoxin is highly toxic and lethal, and its carcinogenic potential is well established, even at doses as low as 0.05. ig. Mycotoxins also infect food products like rice, pulses, tapioca, and betelnuts. (Table 10-2). 

Laboratory investigations in a number of animal species have confirmed that aflatoxins can produce acute necrosis, cirrhosis and carcinoma of the liver. No animal species has been shown to be refractory to aflatoxin toxicity, however, a wide range of acute lethal doses have been observed, indicating different degrees of acute susceptibility. For most species the doses that killed 50% of the animals treated ranged from 0.5 to 10 mg/kg body weight. Species differ in their susceptibility to the acute and chronic effects, and toxicity can be influenced by dose, duration of exposure, age, health, nutritional status and environmental factors. 

In livestock, the consumption of aflatoxins in feed leads to a number of problems, which are then reflected in negative impacts on performance. Chronic exposure to aflatoxins leads to reduced growth and greater susceptibility to infections. This condition is often referred to as total failure to thrive. An extreme consequence of giving animals contaminated feed is lethal acute poisoning. 

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