Stability of aflatoxins in processed ras cheese during manufacture and storage

Processed Ras-cheese was made from Ras cheese naturally contaminated with aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2, secreted from toxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. The processing of the cheese blend at 90-92 centigrade for 5 minutes reduced its total aflatoxin content by 18.7%, while aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2 were reduced by 18.8, 21.3, 16.3 and 20.3% respectively. The storage of processed Ras-Cheese for 60 days at 4 +/- reduced its total aflatoxins by 14.1%, whereas the levels of B1, B2, G1 and G2 were reduced by 13.0, 11.5, 17.2 and 13.8% respectively. The data indicate that the processed Ras-cheese manufactured from contaminated cheese will not be safe for human consumption