LAUSR

This study examines the occurrence of aflatoxins (AFS) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in bread and durum wheat samples. A total of 141 samples were collected from eleven different regions of Turkey. An analytical method based on liquid extraction, immunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up followed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for the determination of AFs and OTA levels. As a result, AFs and OTA were detected in 2% and 9.2% of wheat samples at concentrations varying from 0.21 to 0.44 µg kg⁻¹ and from 0.1 to 3.2 µg kg⁻¹, respectively. Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) and aflatoxin B₂ (AFB₂) were found positive in samples ranging between 0.21–0.35 µg kg⁻¹ and 0.094 µg kg⁻¹, respectively. However, none of the samples contained aflatoxin G₁ (AFG₁) and aflatoxin G₂ (AFG₂). The study also recommended that contamination levels in wheat and wheat-based products should be routinely monitored in greater sample numbers to insure food safety.