aflatoxin contamination → caused by → poor processing and storage of milk, cereal grains, and nuts
“Poor processing and storage of milk, cereal grains, and nuts are a major cause of aflatoxin contamination and mold proliferation.”
Brazil nuts → contaminated with → aflatoxin B1
size group: Group III (small)contamination level: 5.62 microg/kg
“The nuts, classified as small (Group III), presented aflatoxin B1 contamination at a level of 5.62 microg/kg.”
other nuts, gram flour, spices → produced → higher counts of TVCs, coliforms, yeast, and mould
“Generally, rice, wheat and peanuts produced low counts whereas other nuts, gram flour and spices produced much higher counts.”
pistachio nuts → contained → aflatoxins
concentration: 15 to 259 microg/kg
“It was established that three samples of pistachio nuts contained significant levels of aflatoxins. The concentration of total aflatoxins in these three nut samples ranged from 15 to 259 microg/kg of sample.”
Aspergillus spp. → increased → incidence of decay in pistachio nuts
condition: split hulls
“The incidence of decay caused by Aspergillus spp. (predominantly Aspergillus niger) was three times greater in the oldest early splits than in early splits formed in the period before harvest (no decay was found in normal nuts with nonsplit hulls).”
rice, wheat, peanuts → produced → low counts of TVCs, coliforms, yeast, and mould
“Generally, rice, wheat and peanuts produced low counts whereas other nuts, gram flour and spices produced much higher counts.”
spices, nuts, gram flour → commonly contained → Cl. perfringens, Staph. aureus, and Bacillus spp.
“Cl. perfringens, Staph. aureus, and Bacillus spp. were common in spices, nuts and gram flour”
S. senftenberg 775W and S. anatum → were not detectable → on inshell nuts
duration: 16 weeksstorage_temperature: 21 C
“S. senftenberg 775W and S. anatum were not detectable on inshell nuts after 16 weeks of storage at 21 C.”
nuts → are at high risk of → aflatoxin (AF) contamination
“health authorities raised an alert on nuts consumption as these may be at high risk of aflatoxin (AF) contamination”
