Aflatoxins are a type of mycotoxin known for causing severe health issues in both humans and animals. Their presence in groundnuts and other food products not only lowers their quality but also reduces their market value, making aflatoxin contamination a major global concern in the field of agriculture.
Aflatoxins gained notoriety after causing the deaths of approximately 100,000 turkeys in England that consumed mold-contaminated groundnutsa condition later termed “Turkey X Disease” (Sargeant et al., 1961). Subsequent studies discovered that aflatoxins could induce liver cancer in rats, classifying them as hepatocarcinogens. Researchers eventually identified the source of the toxin as strains of the fungus Aspergillus flavus, which commonly infects crops such as groundnuts and maize.
The cultivated groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) stands as the leading oilseed crop in many developing countries. While it is primarily processed for oil extraction, groundnuts are also a rich source of protein, making them valuable for both human and animal nutrition. Consumed raw, boiled, or used in confectionery, groundnuts are extensively grown in tropical and subtropical climates. However, the crop is frequently contaminated by Aspergillus flavus, which significantly lowers its commercial value. The by-product, groundnut oil cake, is also used as animal feed.
Following groundnuts, maize (Zea mays) is another major crop susceptible to Aspergillus flavus contamination. Maize holds global importance as a staple food, livestock and poultry feed, and industrial input. It is also widely cultivated as forage and is used as both green fodder and silage. Stored maize with high moisture content is especially vulnerable to mold growth, particularly from Aspergillus flavus, which leads to aflatoxin production. Another staple, sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), is also frequently affected by aflatoxin contamination. Commonly grown in tropical and warm temperate zones, especially in India and Africa, sorghum serves as a food source for humans and is widely used as livestock feed often preferred over barley or oats.
Aflatoxin contamination across crops, food products, and animal feeds remains a major challenge worldwide in terms of both quality control and safety. The health risks associated with aflatoxins, along with their impact on crop yield and quality due to Aspergillus flavus infection, have drawn significant global attention. Moreover, stringent international regulations concerning permissible aflatoxin levels in agricultural goods pose economic challenges for many nations. These regulations heavily influence the international trade of aflatoxin-prone commodities such as groundnut, maize, sorghum, and chilies.