Pistachios, aflatoxin contamination

Storage of pistachio nuts in the hull necessitates rewetting before dehulling therefore, storage of nuts after dehulling would provide less opportunity for aflatoxin contamination. Also, the presence of the hull favors mold growth under favorable conditions (7). 

Campbell, B.C., Molyneux, R.J. Schatzki, T.F. (2003) Current research on reducing pre-and post-harvest aflatoxin contamination of U.S. almond, pistachio, and walnut. J. Toxicol. Toxin Rev. 22(2-3), 225-266. 

Secretariat of I ran Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (2007) Report submitted to the JECFA Secretariat on the frequency distribution and extent of aflatoxin contamination in Iranian pistachios nuts (in-shell), March. 

Fig. 4 Typical chromatogram of aflatoxins B, B2, G, and G2 naturally contaminated pistachio nuts sample. Aflatoxin B, (AFB1) 0.75 fig/kg, aflatoxin B2 (AFB2) 0.12 fig/kg, aflatoxin G] (AFGl) 0.68 fig/kg, and aflatoxin G2 (AFG2) 0.15 /rg/kg. Mobile phase water methanol acetonitrile 54 29 17. Pump A regulated at 1 ml/min Pump B (postcolumn derivatization with bromine) regulated at 0.4 ml/min.

The Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants at its thirty-eighth session (Codex Alimentarius Commission, 2006) requested that the Committee conduct a dietary exposure assessment for total aflatoxins (AFT) from consumption of tree nuts (ready-to-eat)—in particular, almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts and pistachios—and analyse the impact on dietary exposure of hypothetical maximum limits (MLs) of 4, 8, 10 and 15 pg/kg with consideration of the overall dietary AFT exposure, including consumption of maize and groundnuts. An additional request was received by the Committee to take into account in its assessment an additional hypothetical ML of 20 pg/kg. 

Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (2007) CX/CF 07/1/9. Discussion paper on maximum levels for total aflatoxins in ready-to-eat almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios. Rome, Italy, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (ftp //ftp.fao.org/Codex/cccf1/cf01 09e.pdf). 

World Health Organization (2006) GEMS/Food Consumption Cluster Diets. Geneva, Department of Food Safety, Zoonoses and Foodborne Diseases, Revision August. Yazdanpanah, H., MohammadI, T., Abouhossain, G.A. Cheraghall, M. (2005) Effect of roasting on degradation of aflatoxins In contaminated pistachio nuts. Food Chem. Toxicol. 43, 1135-1139. 

Aflatoxin in food is one of the most widely spread food contaminations. It can be found in over a hundred kinds of agro-products and foods, snch as peanuts, com, rice, soy sauce, vinegar, plant oil, pistachios, tea, Chinese medicinal herb, eggs, milk, feed, and so on. Some have also been detected in animal organisms. Besides... 

Sommer, N.F., Buchanan, J.R., and Forlage, R.J. (1976). Aflatoxin and sterigmatocystin contamination in pistachio nuts in orchards. 

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