A RAPID, SENSITIVE AND ECONOMIC METHOD FOR THE DETECTION, QUANTIFICATION AND CONFIRMATION OF AFLATOXINS

A rapid, sensitive and economic method for the detection, quantification and confirmation of aflatoxins is described. Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2, are extracted by methanol/water (85 + 15) and partitioned into methylene dichloride. The methylene dichloride solution is cleaned up on a polypropylene column, filled with 0.5 g silica gel 60. The aflatoxins are eluted with cloroform-acetone (90 : 10) and are detected using bidirectional thin-layer chromatography (TLC) with aluminium silica gel foil. The mean recovery of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 in corn samples was 73, 78, 80, and 64%, respectively; the limit of detection was 0.5 mug/kg. The results can also be confirmed by derivative formation using trifluoroacetic acid on the TLC plate. The method has been applied to a wide range of foods with good results.