DISTRIBUTION OF AFLATOXIN IN ALMONDS

摘要

The aflatoxin levels in whole and/or broken natural almonds and in manufacturing stock almonds have been surveyed for the 1993 crop. Data were based on results for samples submitted to a nonprofit analysis laboratory serving the industry as well as in-house laboratory data of several large processors. The survey thus included data from processors accounting for 78% of total almond production in 1993. The overall aflatoxin level amounted to 0.67 ng/g, of which 33% came from finely diced and ground almonds and 11% from slivered and sliced almonds, while 49% was due to natural almonds of unknown grade. However, substantially all of the latter resulted from samples submitted by a single processor. A total of 1.7% of whole and/or broken natural almonds and 9.7% of manufacturing stock contained in excess of 1 ng/g aflatoxin.