The aflatoxin contamination of some pepper types sold in Turkey

In the present study, 44 red-scaled pepper and 26 red powder pepper samples obtained from various spice retailers in Erzurum, and 20 isot (red pepper produced in Sanliurfa) were investigated for aflatoxin contamination using thin layer chromatography. Aflatoxin (B + G) was found in 8 red pepper samples (18.2%), and 3 red powder peppers (10.7%), and 1 isot sample (5%). The aflatoxin amount ranged from 1.1 to 97.5 ppb in all samples investigated. The highest amount of aflatoxin was found in red-scaled pepper. Species of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Rhizopus were generally contaminants of all samples.