An overview of challenges and elimination of aflatoxin contamination in maize (Zea mays)

Maize is an important cereal crop for domestic markets as well as for foreign trade in several developing and developed countries. It is also one of the most valuable cash crops in India. However, its production is constrained by Aspergillus species, which cause quantitative losses and produce highly toxic and carcinogenic chemical substances known as aflatoxins. This article critically reviews Aflatoxin contamination in maize (Zea mays L.) in India and its elimination. Although maize has a huge potential as a cash crop to improve livelihoods of farmers and traders in various parts of India, its market is declining and export of the crop has come to a standstill. This is due to aflatoxin contamination of the crop and the difficulty of meeting tolerance limits by importers and food processors, leading to rejection of the crop and reduction in market demand. Aflatoxin contamination is both a pre-harvest and post-harvest problem. Many developed countries have laid down specific regulations for import and export of those items in terms of economic implications. In the light of present status different measures (prevention, elimination, and decontamination/inactivation) have been discussed in this review to minimize the risk of aflatoxin contamination in pre-harvest, harvest, post-harvest, processing stage and storage conditions.