Human Health Risk Associated with the Consumption of Aflatoxins in Popcorn

• Main Authors: Morales-Moo T, Hernández-Camarillo E, Carvajal-Moreno M, Vargas-Ortiz M, Robles-Olvera V, Salgado-Cervantes MA
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2020-11-01
• Series: Risk Management and Healthcare Policy
• Subjects: risk assessment; mycotoxins; liver cancer
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/human-health-risk-associated-with-the-consumption-of-aflatoxins-in-pop-peer-reviewed-article-RMHP
• ISSN: 1179-1594

Tomás Morales-Moo,1,2 Estela Hernández-Camarillo,1,2 Magda Carvajal-Moreno,1 Manuel Vargas-Ortiz,3 Víctor Robles-Olvera,2 Marco Antonio Salgado-Cervantes2 1Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico; 2Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de Veracruz, Veracruz, México; 3CONACYT-CIAD (Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo), Coordinación Culiacán, Culiacán Sinaloa C.P. 80110, MéxicoCorrespondence: Magda Carvajal-MorenoInstituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Avenida Universidad 3000, Coyoacán 04510, Ciudad de México, MéxicoTel [phone]Email [e-mail] Antonio Salgado-CervantesTecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de Veracruz, MéxicoEmail [e-mail]: Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites produced mainly by the molds Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus and A. nomius, and they contaminate cereals, dry fruits, oilseeds and spices. Aflatoxins have harmful effects in animals and humans, inducing vomiting, diarrhea, hepatitis, cirrhosis, immunosuppression, miscarriages, mutagenic and teratogenic effects, resulting in different cancers. Popcorn (Zea mays everta) is a cereal susceptible to aflatoxin contamination, and there are no reports about the risk of its consumption.Purpose: A study on the incidence and consumption of aflatoxins in popcorn marketed in the city of Veracruz, Mexico was conducted and evaluated to carry out a risk assessment for human health.Methods: To obtain popcorn, a random sampling in 30 places was done. Frequency of consumption was obtained with informed consent of participants of 253 surveys that considered gender (56% women and 44% men), age (13 less than 18 years, 218 older than 18 years and 22 older than 60 years) and the average body weight, which was 65.5 kg for women and 72.7 kg for men.Results: Aflatoxins were found in 47% of the 30 samples. The estimated daily consumption among women was 21 g of popcorn daily with 2.8 ng kg− 1 body weight aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and 18.29 ng kg− 1 body weight total aflatoxins, and for men, the values were 3.0 ng kg− 1 body weight AFB1, and 16.0 ng kg− 1 body weight of total AF; 1 ng kg− 1 body weight is recommended as the tolerance limit by the JECFA (2001).Conclusion: The highest liver cancer risk was detected in men population under 18 years of age, with 0.137 cases in 100,000 persons. The results show that 9.5% of the consumers of AFB1-contaminated popcorn are at risk, and 52.2% are at risk for total aflatoxin exposure. Popcorn is accessible to children with lower weight, increasing the risk.Keywords: risk assessment, mycotoxins, liver cancer