Assessment of Aflatoxin Contamination in Roasted Peanut Samples from Gondar City, Ethiopia: Risk Evaluation and Health Implications

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> The study aimed to detect the level of aflatoxin contamination and risk assessment of aflatoxins. A total of eighteen roasted peanut samples were collected and analyses in different area of Gondar City. The aflatoxin was extracted from peanut with (Acetonitrile: Methanol: Water (15: 25: 60) and the analyses were performed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography detector method. From the result, A good linearity of standard calibration was found for AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2 at a range of 0.2–50 ppb. Regression coefficient (R²) values were &gt;0.996. The average recoveries for spiked sample were ranged from 81.83 to 108.16% and Limit of detection and quantification ranged from (0.138 - 0.6 ppb), (0.46 - 2.0 ppb), respectively. The determined aflatoxin contamination levels in roasted peanut samples ranged from 2.6± 0.081-246.42± 0.082, 0.64± 0.012-23.41±0.016, 9.02± 0.008-156.10± 0.041, 1.49± 0.048 -19.25± 0.04 μg/kg for AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, respectively. Moreover, the total amount of aflatoxin detected ranged from 14.05μg/Kg to 445.18μg/Kg. All the analyzed samples exceeded tolerance limit of European Union,(recommended maximum limit of 4μg/kg. Hence, US Food and Drug Administration and World Health Organization tolerance limit 20 μg/kg of aflatoxin total. The Estimated Daily Intakes (EDI) of the total aflatoxins in the peanut samples was 0.531, 0.299 and 0.229μg/Kgbw/day for children, adolescents, and adults respectively. For the Margin of Exposure (MOE), values of 753.3, 1337.8 and 1746.7 were recorded respectively. The average potency of the aflatoxins was 0.00825 ng Aflatoxins/kgbw/day and produced a population risk of 4.4 × 10^-3, 2.5 × 10^-3 and 1.9 × 10^-3 respectively. In this study, a probable menace for cancer was projected at 0.0019− 0.0044 cancers per year per 100,000 person’s health among some community in Gondar, Ethiopia that could be harmed by aflatoxins in toxication via consumption of peanuts and products with an estimated daily intake (EDI) of 0.087 ng/kg bw/day of peanuts in a Gondar, Ethiopia population.