Monitoring the level of microbial toxins and heavy metals in Iranian rice samples and Iranian rice flour collected from Kerman province

Rice is one of the most consumed cereals in Asia and the leading food of most Iranian families. Heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mycotoxins such as aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxin, ochratoxin, and some trichothecenes are susceptible to accumulation in rice tissue. Human nutrition with rice causes the entry of these toxic and dangerous substances into the body and causes neurological distress, and, with high carcinogenic potential, creates severe risks to human health.

In this study, ten samples of rice and rice flour produced in Iran were randomly collected at the supply level of Kerman city and evaluated for deoxynivalenol, xylene, ochratoxin A, aflatoxin G1, G2, B1, B2), cadmium, lead, and arsenic. SPSS software and Duncan mean comparison tests and T-test were used for statistical analysis.

The results showed that all samples of Iranian rice with different brands in Kerman province, in terms of aflatoxin B1, total aflatoxin (total G1, G2, B1, B2), deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, and heavy metals cadmium, lead and arsenic were lower than the Iranian standard limit.

Iranian rice and flour are not dangerous for consumers and have toxicology standards.