Aflatoxins

What are Aflatoxins?

Aflatoxins are naturally occurring substances produced by soil based moulds. They can occur in many different foods including peanuts, figs, nuts, oilseeds, cereals, milk and raisins.

Are Aflatoxins Dangerous if eaten?

Aflatoxins would only be harmful if a significant amount of foods containing high levels of aflatoxins were consumed on a daily basis over a long period of time.

This is unlikely to happen because the Government's Food Standards Agency has strict regulations in place to ensure levels of aflatoxins in all foods are as low as they can possibly be and therefore completely safe for human consumption.

What are the strict regulations governing
levels of aflatoxins?

The UK and EU authorities monitor imports of all food products from around the world for the presence of aflatoxins. If a problem exists, origins are banned completely or put under special control measures.

Manufacturers are responsible under current food safety regulations, to ensure that the products they sell comply with regulations. Legislation provides UK Manufacturers with acceptable levels of aflatoxins and they must ensure that aflatoxins contained in their ingredients and finished products remain within these guidelines.