Food for Thought | Aflatoxins in Focus: Managing Their Occurrence in Food Supply

Summary:

Aflatoxins are a type of mycotoxin, which are toxic compounds produced by certain moulds that can contaminate foods before and during harvest, particularly in hot and humid conditions.

While the Government sets food safety standards to ensure that food in Singapore is safe, industry vigilance in sourcing, storage, and processing is also essential to minimise contamination risks.

Aflatoxins are a type of mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus moulds, particularly Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, which thrive in warm, humid environments common across tropical regions. They can contaminate crops before and after harvesting when improper agricultural practices are employed or inadequate storage conditions are maintained.

The four main groups of aflatoxins that are of concern are: aflatoxins B₁; B₂; G₁; and G₂. Aflatoxin B₁ is most frequently found in contaminated food and the most toxic. The World Health Organisation has classified it as a Group 1 carcinogen, indicating sufficient evidence of its cancer-causing potential in humans. Long-term consumption of foods containing even low levels of aflatoxins may increase the risk of liver cancer, making it crucial to keep dietary exposure as minimal as possible.

Given that moulds occur naturally and ubiquitously in our environment, and that aflatoxins cannot be easily removed once they form in food, prevention becomes paramount. This requires a good understanding of the types of foods and environmental conditions that favour aflatoxin development.

What can the food industry do?

Aflatoxins are naturally occurring and have no colour, odour, or taste, making detection near impossible without laboratory testing. Once produced, aflatoxins are also chemically stable in food and difficult to eliminate as they can survive high temperatures.

Notwithstanding, there are some ways we can help to effectively manage these risks and provide consumers with safer food options.

SFA has established regulatory limits for aflatoxins that align with Codex Alimentarius Commission¹ international standards, taking into account local consumption patterns and risk assessments. Besides that, the food industry also plays an important role and can do the following:

Industry partners

Best practices

Importers and retailers

· Practise responsible sourcing: Obtain raw materials/ food products from reliable and reputable suppliers that adopt proper agricultural practices and storage conditions.

· Ensure proper environmental controls: Implement appropriate temperature and humidity monitoring for transport and storage facilities.

Food manufacturers

· Implement robust process controls: Conduct thorough product screening such as visual inspection and sorting techniques, and apply appropriate treatment methods when contamination is detected.

· Establish appropriate management systems: Implement Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) programmes, including practices such as first-in-first-out inventory management, systematic removal of damaged or mouldy products to avoid cross-contamination.

Food safety remains a joint responsibility that requires collective action from all stakeholders. The government and industry need to work in partnership to strengthen food safety and maintaining consumer confidence in our food supply. Consumers also play a vital role by making informed decisions about food purchase and proper storage. More resources are available at SFA’s Risk at a Glance webpage.

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¹Codex Alimentarius Commission, jointly run by United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), is an international body responsible for setting international food safety standards. Codex standards generally serve as the basis for national legislation and benchmarks for international food trade.