Carcinogenic Properties of Aflatoxins in Maize Production and Recent Technologies Involved

Abstract

Aflatoxins are the carcinogenic, mutagenic and highly toxic secondary metabolite, which is produced by two species of fungus such as Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus mostly. These two types of fungus contaminate the cereals crops such as maize, cotton, rice and spices. These are naturally occurring toxins all over the world. There are 20 different types of aflatoxins but out of six have significance importance for instance, AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, AFM1 and AFM2. Most commonly, AFB1 and AFB2 are present in the maize crops and M1 and M2 present in the milk and dairy products. Even the small amounts of aflatoxins, which may cause the harmful effects in human and liver stocks. They cause many acute, subacute and chronic diseases such as hepatic carcinoma in human. Aflatoxins can pose a significant economic burden. It caused up to 25-30 % approximately destroy the crops all over. Aflatoxicosis detection from the humans as well as animals is very tough because variation may occur, or sign and symptoms may be change due to the suppressor of immune system that cause many chronic diseases. These aflatoxins are determined and analyzed by the many techniques such as chromatographic techniques mostly HPLC, immunoassays, fluorescence spectroscopy and many biosensors which are very essential to check the quality, quantity and concentration of aflatoxins present in food and feeds. So that, there are many methods to limit the growth of aflatoxins from the grain in pre-harvest, during harvest and post-harvest conditions or also control the environmental conditions and managed the proper storages of the grains that may diminish the aflatoxins levels. Furthermore, they are many techniques and biological control methods are used to control the growth and activities of fungus species that cause the toxicity in food and feeds and protect the grains for the uses of human and animals.