Aflatoxins are highly toxic compounds produced by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus growing on agricultural commodities in the field or while the product is stored. Major crops affected with aflatoxin contamination are corn, peanuts, and cottonseed. Risks posed to man can be from direct consumption of the contaminated product, such as corn and peanut products, or from eating foods produced by animals that have ingested the aflatoxin-contaminated product themselves, i.e., milk and eggs. An effective food safety monitoring program requires rapid methods to allow enough time to remove or redirect the product from the market should it contain unacceptable levels of aflatoxin. This research will focus on reducing risks posed by aflatoxin contamination in food and feed by monitoring aflatoxin levels using immunochemical methods. The study will (a) evaluate the use of immunochemical methods as rapid screening tools to determine aflatoxin contamination in animal feeds-/cottonseed products and (b) develop and evaluate a sampling plan to be used for on-site testing for aflatoxin. Samples will be collected from dairy farms, feed mills, harvesting areas, cotton gins, and ammoniation treatment plants and tested on-site for aflatoxin and compared with laboratory analyses.
