ABSTRACT

In this study it was aimed to determine the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) levels in red pepper products and to evaluate whether aflatoxin levels were within the Turkish Food Codex (TFC) values or not. For this purpose, total number of 190 samples consisting 90 red pepper pastes, 50 red pepper sauces and 50 red pepper flakes were colected from supermarkets in Ankara. Determination of AFB1 levels in red pepper products has been made by immunoaffinity column technique and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) procedure. Our data revealed that AFB1 levels were within TFC values except one sample in red pepper products. Furthermore, the examined red pepper products are thought not to have any risk on public health. Although several studies have reported AFB1 levels in red peppers, this is the first report of AFB1 levels in pepper sauces and pepper paste consumed widely in Turkey.