Determination of Mycotoxin Contamination and Heavy Metals in Edible Rice Imported to Golestan Province

Rice is one of the most consumed food items that is exposed to mycotoxins and heavy metals contamination. Due to the accumulation of heavy metals in the tissues of human body and its side effects on the body and being carcinogenic and mutagenic mycotoxin, the present study was conducted to determine contamination of rice imported in Golestan Province. We collected 80 samples of imported rice from India and Pakistan on the Inche boron border in Golestan province between January 2011 and August 2012. We analyzed each sample for the amount of mycotoxins (aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2 and total aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, zearalenone and dexynivalenol) and heavy metals (lead, arsenic, and cadmium). We used HPLC to measure mycotoxins and immunoaffinity column (Dexynivalenol purification was conducted using DONSPE column) for purifying. Hydride generation atomic absorption based optical spectroscopy technique was used for determining arsenic. Graphite furnace atomic absorption according AOAC.986.15 was used to determine lead and cadmium. We found that the average level of aflatoxin B1, B2, ochratoxin A, and total aflatoxin were 0.93, 0.036, 0.033 and 0.96 ng/g respectively. Aflatoxin G1, G2 and dexynivalenol was not observed in any of the samples. Average concentrations of lead, arsenic, and cadmium in the samples were 0.067, 0.007, 0.024 mg/kg respectively. All samples were within the accepted maximum limits of Iran National Standards for heavy metals and mycotoxins in rice.