penaeus monodon - Cochin University of Science and Technology

hazard. It cannot be eliminated from our food supply. We must, as such,
learn to live with them (Verma, 2001).
Among the mycotoxins, aflatoxins are the most toxic and have
considerable interest in agriculture, livestock and aquaculture. Aflatoxins
are extremely biologically active secondary metabolites produced by the
fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Aflatoxins are
receiving increasing attention from researchers, the food industry, and the
general public - firstly because they reduce production and secondly they
remain as residues in animal tissues, which in turn affects the human
metabolic system on being consumed. Aflatoxins are particularly important
in aquaculture since their presence exerts a negative economic impact on
relevant commerce as well as severe health problems after exposure to
contaminated food and feed.
The discovery of aflatoxin in 1961 inspired a vast amount of research
and focused attention on wider effects of aflatoxin. Aflatoxins are both
acutely and chronically toxic to animals including man. They produce four
distinct effects -acute liver damage, liver cirrhosis, induction of tumours
and teratogenic effects (Ueno and Ueno, 1978; Pier, 1981). Aflatoxin Bl
(AFB 1) is the most potent among naturally occurring carcinogens and is
classified as a group I carcinogen by the International Agency for Research
on Cancer (IARC). Exposure to the most potent mycotoxin AFBl has also
been suggested to increase Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma (PHCC) risk
(IARC, 1987).
No region of the world escapes the problem of mycotoxin. According
to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization approximately
25% of the world's grain supply are contaminated and this equates to a
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