Aflatoxin and ochratoxin in various types of commonly consumed retail ground samples in Ankara, Turkey

To detect aflatoxin (AF) or ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination, 25 retail ground samples of 12 different types of seed-, pulses-, and cereal-flours and starches were randomly collected from markets and traditional bazaars in Ankara, Turkey. The levels of AF in the retail ground samples were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ranged from 0.03-3.16 ppb. The percentage of contaminated samples for aflatoxin B₁, B₂, G₁, and G₂ were 64, 60, 72, and 76%, respectively. The determination of OTA level was performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and they were ranged between 0.27-4.07 ppb (n=24). However, the screened mycotoxin levels in the samples were under the permission limits of Turkey, the daily intake of these products corresponds to at least 50 % of daily diet in our country. Routine measurements of the toxin levels in foods and feeds should be carried out to prevent their harmful effects on health.