Aflatoxins in sunflower and safflower seeds from Iran.

Aflatoxin content of 173 sunflower and safflower seeds was determined by HPLC with immunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up and fluorometric detection. Aflatoxin B1 contamination was found in 111 samples: in 8 of the sunflower seed samples (16%) at a mean level of 40.68 ng g(-1) and in 103 safflower seed samples (83.7%) at a mean level of 2.81 ± 0.44 ng g(-1). In 5 sunflower seed samples and 1 safflower seed sample, aflatoxin B1 levels were higher than the maximum levels of AFB1 under Iran regulations (5 ng g(-1)). Aflatoxin B1 levels in 5 sunflower and 2 safflower seed samples were higher than the European Union maximum limit (2 ng g(-1)).