Occurrence of aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, and fumonisins in retail foods in Japan.

We conducted a survey of aflatoxin B-1, B-2, G(1), and G(2), ochratoxin A, and fumonisin B-1, B-2, and B-3 contamination in various foods on the retail market in Japan in 2004 and 2005. The mycotoxins were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, or high-performance thin-layer chromatography. Aflatoxins were detected in 10 of 21 peanut butter samples; the highest concentration of aflatoxin B, was 2.59 mu g-Ag. Aflatoxin contamination was not found in corn products, corn, peanuts, buckwheat flour, dried buckwheat noodles, rice, or sesame oil. Ochratoxin A was detected in oatmeal, wheat flour, rye, buckwheat flour, green coffee beans, roasted coffee beans, raisins, beer, and wine but not in rice or corn products. Ochratoxin A concentrations in contaminated samples were below 0.8 mu g/kg. Fumonisins were detected in popcorn, frozen corn, corn flakes, and corn grits. The highest concentrations of fumonisins B-1, B2, and B3 in these samples were 354.0, 94.0, and 64.0 mu g/kg, respectively.