Aflatoxins: Food Safety, Human Health Hazards and Their Prevention

Aflatoxins (AFTs) are group of secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi such as Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus, A. nomius, and Emericella nidulans. AFTs contaminate foods, feeds, other raw ingredients used to produce them and that pose a significant threat to human health. These toxins designated as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), aflatoxin B2 (AFB2), aflatoxin G1 (AFG1), and aflatoxin G2 (AFG2), aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and aflatoxin M2 (AFM2) are hydroxylated metabolites form of AFB1 and AFB2 are known as difuranocoumarin compounds. Naturally, these AFs have carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic effects and caused several metabolic disorders such as aflatoxicosis in domestic animals and humans worldwide. For the increasing in cancer incidences these risk factors are liable. AFB1 is 1000 times more potent hepatocarcinogen found in food then benzo (α) pyrene carcinogen. This chapter offers contamination sources, effects and their controlling approaches to confirm the food safety.