Evaluation of aflatoxin contamination in Maize from Mazandaran province in Iran

In Iran, maize is cultivated in wide areas including northern provinces. It is one of the most important crops for poultry and livestock feeding, which is susceptible to aflatoxins [AFs] contamination. So, pre-harvest maize samples from Mazandaran province, north of Iran were analyzed for AFs contamination. Thirty-five pre-harvest maize samples were analyzed using immunoaffinity column and reversed-phase liquid chromatography with post-column derivatization. Data revealed that incidence of AFB1, AFB2 and total aflatoxins [AFT] in maize samples were 66%, 54% and 63% with mean of 9.5 +/- 16.3, 1.7 +/- 2.6 and 10.4 +/- 18.4 ng/g, respectively. The mean level of AFB1 in samples was higher than the Iranian maximum tolerated level [MTL]. But, AFT mean level [10.4 ng/g] was lower than the Iranian and US [20 ng/g] MTLs

[Occurrence of ochratoxin A in rice sold in chain stores in Tehran, 2007]

Mycotoxin contamination of agriculture commodities is a serious concern as regards human and animal health. Rice is a staple food and one of the major carbohydrate sources in the diet of Iranian people. There are reports on the contamination of rice with mycotoxins such as aflatoxins, citrinin, deoxynivalenol, fumonisins B1 and B2, fusarenon-X, nivalenol, ochratoxin A, sterigmatocystin, and zearalenone. In the present study, 100 samples of rice sold in several branches of three of the main chain stores in Tehran, Iran were collected and analyzed for ochratoxin A [OTA]. Ochratoxin A was extracted from the samples with acetonitrile-water solvent and purified using the immunoaffinity column. HPLC with fluorescence detector was used to identify and measure the OTA, the detection and quantification limits were being 0.03 and 0.1 microg kg[-1] respectively. The OTA content in all the 100 imported and domestic rice samples was 69%. The mean and range of OTA were 1.37 +/- 5.72 and 0.15- 46.79 microg kg[-1], respectively. In the most samples OTA contamination were lower than the permitted thresholds in cereals according to the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran [ISIRI] standards. Considering the high contents of OTA in some of the rice samples on the one hand, and the high consumption of other foods contaminated with OTA on the other hand, the total intake of this toxic substance may exceed its Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake as determined by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. In order to control mycotoxin contaminations, taking pre- and post-harvest preventive measures [GAP, GHP, GSP, GMP and HACCP], as well as sharing experiences and collective effort of all the parties involved, are highly essential

[Assessment of effect of mirror room in management of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia]

Jundice is the most common problem that can occur in the newborn. Although most jaundiced infants are otherwise perfectly healthy, jundice makes us anxious because bilirubin is potentially toxic to the central nervous system. Phototherapy is a highly effective method for prevention of exchange transfusion. The evaluation of the effect of mirror room on the decrease of hyperbilirubinemia is the purpose of this study. In this clinical trial 60 term infants with the weight of more than 2500gr and the age of 72 hours who were admitted in Emam Sajad hospital [1384] for phototherapy were randiomized into two equal groups of phototherapy. The first group undertook the traditional method of phototherapy and the second group was placed in mirror room [creative method]. Then the results of the 2 groups, including bilirubin on admission, after 12, 24 and 48 hours after admission, and duration of admission were analyzed using the statistical test of chi-square. In term infants the first 24 hour decline rate of bilirubin for traditional and mirror incubator phototherapy was 2.1 +/- 1.1 and 3.6 +/- 2.2 respectively [P< 0.01]. The decline rate during the second day was 2.6 +/- 1.3 in group one versus 3.8 +/- 2.4 in the second group [p<0.001] Duration of admission in the first group was 62.3 +/- 25 hours compared to 40.5 +/- 28.6 hours in the second group [p<0.05]. The creative method mirror incubator had a better effect compared with traditional methods. It is comparable with double phototherapy and fibrobtic blanket methos. It could be an alternative model for double phototherapy as it produces reasonable cost effectiveness and is easy to apply