Aflatoxin B1 contamination of parboiled rice samples collected from different states of India: A multi-centre study

Under a multi-centre study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research, 1511 samples of parboiled rice were collected from rural and urban areas of 11 states representing different geographical regions of India. These samples were analysed for contamination with aflatoxin B1. The presence of aflatoxin B1 at levels ≥ 5 μg kg−1 was found in 38.5% of the total number of samples of the parboiled rice. About 17% of the total samples showed the presence of aflatoxin B1 above the Indian regulatory limit of 30 μg kg−1. No statistically significant difference in percentage of samples contaminated with >30 μg kg−1 was observed between pooled rural (19.4%) and urban (14.5%) data. A median value of 15 μg kg−1 of aflatoxin B1 was observed in samples from Assam, Bihar and Tripura. In all other states surveyed the median value was <5 μg kg−1.