Detoxification of aflatoxin contaminated foods has been a continuing challenge for the food industry. This article examines primarily the detoxification of aflatoxin B1 in foods and feeds. The sensitivity of aflatoxins to physical or chemical treatments is affected by many factors including moisture content, location of the toxins in the food, forms of the food, and interactions of the toxins with food components. Thus, it is important to understand these factors before a specific detoxification method can be recommended. In addition, the use of any applicable treatment conditions should not cause undesirable alterations to the nutritional and organoleptic qualities of the foods. The combined use of physical and chemical treatment procedures appear to provide a better prospect than the use of only a single treatment procedure. A reevaluation of the present processing conditions may shed light on the development of modified procedures to effectively degrade aflatoxins in foods, while still achieving other processing objectives.

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Immunoassay techniques using the highly specific and sensitive nature of immunological reactions have been developed and applied in the food industry for detecting the naturally occurring constituents, antibiotics, pesticide residues, microorganisms, and fragments of microbial constituents related to food analysis, food production, food processing, and food safety. Both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies are employed for the development of the various immunoassay systems, including enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA). Immunoassay techniques provide complementary and/or alternate approaches in reducing the use of costly, sophisticated equipment and analysis time, but still maintaining reliability and improved sensitivity. Immunoassay techniques in their most simple forms provide excellent screening tools to detect adulteration and contaminations qualitatively. The application of immunoassay techniques contributes tremendously to the quality control and safety of our food supply.

The mycoflora of dried-salted fish from markets in Kandy, Sri Lanka was studied with emphasis on visibly spoiled dried fish. A total of 61 fungal isolates from 25 dried-fish were isolated and identified. The most prevalent fungus was Aspergillus niger. Species of Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus, A. glaucus, A. restrictus, Aureobasidium spp. Basipetospora halophila (a genuinely halophilic fungus) Cladosporium herbarum, Gliomastix, spp., Penicillium chalybeum and Penicillium expansum were present. The isolated fungi did not grow in synthetic media containing more than 30% sodium chloride. Aureobasidium spp. and Gliomastix spp. did not grow on dried-fish under laboratory conditions. The protective exoskeleton appeared to prevent fungal growth on dried shrimp. The A. flavus strains isolated were not aflatoxigenic.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of reducing saturated fat in the diet, or partly replacing it with unsaturated fat, on the serum lipoprotein profile of human subjects. The study had two intervention periods, 8 weeks (phase 1) and 52 weeks (phase 2). In phase 1, total fat was reduced from 31 to 25 % energy (polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA):saturated fatty acids (SFA) ratio increased from 0´2 to 0´4) by reducing the quantity of coconut fat (CF) in the diet from 17´8 to 9´3 % energy intake. In phase 2, subjects were randomised to groups A and B. In group A total fat was reduced from 25 to 20 % energy (PUFA:SFA ratio increased from 0´4 to 0´7) by reducing the quantity of CF in the diet from 9´3 to 4´7 % total energy intake. In group B, the saturated fat content in the diet was similar to group A. In addition a test fat (a mixture of soyabean oil and sesame oil, PUFA:monosaturated fatty acids ratio 2) contributed 3´3 % total energy intake and total fat contributed 24 % energy intake (PUFA:SFA ratio increased from 0´7 to 1´1). At the end of phase 1, there was a 7´7 % reduction in cholesterol (95 % CI 23´6, 212´2) and 10´8 % reduction in LDL (95 % CI 24´9, 216´5) and no significant change in HDL and triacylglycerol. At the end of phase 2, the reduction in cholesterol in both groups was only about 4 % (95 % CI 212, 3´2) partly due the concomitant rise in HDL. The reduction in LDL at 52 weeks was significantly higher in group B (group A mean reduction 11 %, 95 % CI 220´1, 22´0 and group B mean reduction 16´2 % 95 % CI 223´5, 28´9). In phase 2, triacylglycerol levels showed a mean reduction of 6´5 % in group 2A and a mean increase of 8´2 % in group 2B. The reduction of saturated fat in the diet is associated with a lipoprotein profile that would be expected to reduce cardiovascular risk. The reduction of dietary saturated fat with partial replacement of unsaturated fat brings about changes in total cholesterol, HDL-and LDLcholesterol that are associated with a lower cardiovascular risk.