Abstract
The present investigation is the first definitive study of the fate of the aflatoxins in vegetable oils undergoing processing. Crude oils, obtained by solvent extraction or by hydraulic pressing of ground moldy peanuts (not suitable for human consumption), contained only small fractions of the aflatoxin originally present in the peanuts; the meals retained the bulk of the aflatoxin. Conventional alkali refining and washing of the oils reduced aflatoxin content to a range of 10 to 14 ppb. The subsequent bleaching operation essentially eliminated aflatoxin from the oils; the concentrations were now less than 1 ppb. The above results were confirmed using corn oils obtained from corn germ deliberately contaminated in the laboratory withAspergillus flavus. The nonfluorescing forms of aflatoxins, capable of being produced during the alkali refining operations, are also absent from the refined vegetable oils; these aflatoxin derivatives are readily converted to their original form on acidification and thereby measurable by fluorescence, if present.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Sargeant, K., A. Sheridan, J. O'Kelly and R. B. A. Carnaghan, Nature192, 1096–1097 (1961).
Asao, T., G. Büchi, M. M. Abdel-Kader, S. B. Chang, Emily L. Wick and G. N. Wogan, J. Am. Chem. Soc.85, 1706 (1963).
Chang, S. B., M. M. Abdel-Kader, E. L. Wick and G. N. Wogan, Science142, 1191–1192 (1963).
Carnaghan, R. B. A., R. D. Hartley and J. O'Kelly. Nature200, 1101 (1963).
Coomes, T. J., P. C. Crowther, B. J. Francis and G. Shone, Analyst89, 436–437 (1964).
Carnaghan, R. B. A., Proc. Roy. Soc. Med.57, 414–416 (1964).
Melnick, D., and W. A. Parker, unpublished laboratory report (1963).
Slocum, G. G., Cereal Science Today8, 313–314 (1963).
Sargeant, K., J. O'Kelly, R. B. A. Carnaghan and R. Allcroft, Vet. Rec.73, 1219–1222 (1961).
Milner, M., personal communication, “Peanut Meal Toxicity: Major Implications of Reports, and Discussions at Meeting with British Workers,” London, November 20, 1961.
British Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: Report of the Interdepartmental Working Party on Groundnut Toxicity Research. “Toxicity Associated with Certain Batches of Groundnuts,” London, June 1962.
Hiscocks, E. S., Conference on “Fungal Toxicity in Peanut Products,” held at United Nations, New York, Oct. 9, 1962.
Austwick, P. K. C., and G. Ayerst, Chem. Ind. (London), 55–61 (1963).
Spensley, P. C., Endeavour22, 75–79 (1963).
Pomeranz, Y., Cereal Science Today9, 92–96 (1964).
Broadbent, J. H., J. A. Cornelius and G. Shone, The Analyst88, 214–216 (1963).
Nesheim, S., J. Assoc. Offic. Agr. Chemists47, 1010 (1964).
Feuell, A. J., of Tropical Products Institute, London, personal communication during visit to authors' laboratory on Nov. 22, 1963.
Coomes, T. J., P. C. Crowther, A. J. Feuell and B. J. Francis, Nature209, 406–407 (1966).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
About this article
Cite this article
Parker, W.A., Melnick, D. Absence of aflatoxin from refined vegetable oils. J Am Oil Chem Soc 43, 635–638 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02640803
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02640803