Aflatoxins contamination in spices marketed in selected areas of Tanzania and their Detection by Chromatographic Technique

Background: Aflatoxins are a family of toxins produced by fungi species known as Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Contamination of aflatoxins in agricultural crops is of high concern as it has negative effects on public health. Objective: This study reports on the levels of aflatoxins in four types of spices (black pepper, turmeric, cardamom and garlic) collected from markets, stores and farms in selected locations of Tanzania. Methods: A total of 84 samples of selected spices were collected. The determination of aflatoxins was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography, coupled with fluorescence detector. Results: The results obtained showed that 64 samples (76%) were contaminated with total aflatoxins at varying levels with respect to location and weather conditions. Mean concentrations of total aflatoxins ranged from < DL to 8.41 ngg-1 for black pepper, from < DL to 0.22 ngg-1 for garlic, from < DL to 11.07 ngg-1 for cardamom and from 0.28 to 2.21 ngg-1 for turmeric. 4.7% of samples exceeded the maximum tolerable limit of 10 ngg-1 for total aflatoxins (TAF) set by European Commission and 7 (8.33 %) samples exceeded the maximum tolerable limit of 5 ngg-1 for Aflatoxin B1. Conclusion: The observed aflatoxin contamination gives an alert for control of aflatoxins for improved public health. Keywords: Aflatoxins; mycotoxins; liquid chromatography; contamination; spices.