Aflatoxin contamination level in Iran's pistachio nut during years 2009–2011

An efficient monitoring system for sampling, analyzing and issuing the export certificates for pistachio consignments has been established in Iran in recent years. Accordingly, 3181 commercial raw pistachio nut lots were supplied for testing for European export certification since January 2009 till December 2011. Aflatoxin analysis was carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection after immunoaffinity column clean up with recoveries ranging from 77 to 99%. Amongst 8203 sub-samples analyzed, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was detected in 1921 cases (23.4%) with the mean and median values of 2.18 ± 13.1 ng/g and

► Pistachio for export to EU was analyzed for aflatoxin contamination level by HPLC.
► Seventy-six and half percent of analyzed samples were not contaminated with aflatoxin.
► Around 95% of samples had a contamination level less than maximum tolerable level.
► A significant improvement has been achieved in control of aflatoxin in pistachio.
► Coordinated activities by Iranian authorities and EU experts are successful.