EXTRACTION OF AFLATOXIN FROM PEANUT MEAL AND KERNELS BY CO2-METHANOL USING A HIGHLY PRESSURIZED FLUID EXTRACTION PROCESS

Peanut kernels infected with Aspergillus parasiticus after milling int o meals were used as toxin-contaminated material for aflatoxin extract ion using CO2-methanol. The percentage of aflatoxin recovery increased with CO2-60% methanol and decreased with CO2-100% methanol with an in crease in the methanol/peanut meal ratio. One gram of peanut meal and 6 mi of 60% methanol were deposited in an extraction chamber (ca 13 mi ), pressurized with CO2 to 3,000 psi at 50 degrees C, and held for 15 min, followed by releasing and collecting the extraction medium. The e xtracted solution was applied to an affinity column for aflatoxin adso rption and to thin-layer chromatography for separation and fluorescenc e densitometry for component quantitation; an average of 97.6% of the aflatoxin was recovered. When this procedure and a commercialized immu nochemical method were used for quantitation of aflatoxin in discolore d peanut kernels collected from a commercial processing line, comparab le results were observed.