INCIDENCE OF FUNGI AND AFLATOXINS IN IMPORTED ARECA NUT SAMPLES

The carcinogenic, embryotoxic and immunotoxic properties of areca nuts are well documented. The nuts may also contain aflatoxins, but these have not been adequately quantified in products. The latter and the va riable nut consumption pattern among chewers make estimations of expos ure to aflatoxins and hence their contribution to the overall toxicity of the nut difficult. The aflatoxin content and incidence of fungi of boiled, baked and raw areca nut sample procured from different commer cial outlets were determined. Only the raw, sliced nut sample containe d aflatoxins B-1, B-2, G(1) and G(2) (3.5-26.2 mu g kg(-1)). Forty per cent of these samples contained aflatoxin B-1 in excess of the common ly accepted foodstuff limit of 5 mu g kg(-1). Based on areca nut consu mption data of South African Indians, it was calculated that chewers o f raw areca nut may be exposed to total of aflatoxin (B-1 + B-2 + G(1) + G(2)) quantities of 3.6-1080 ng per 24 h. Raw nut sample samples we re relatively heavily contaminated with Aspergillus flavus, the counts of which corresponded with their aflatoxin content. Boiled nut sample s harboured A. glaucus species which were not present on either baked or raw nuts. It was concluded that in such countries as India and Taiw an, chewers of raw areca may be exposed to concentrations of aflatoxin s which may enhance the carcinogenic effects of these nuts on human ti ssues. It is unlikely, however, based on data regarding areca nut cons umption among South African chewers, that the levels of aflatoxin on t hese nuts pose a health hazard.