A survey of the incidence and level of aflatoxin contamination in a range of imported spice preparations on the Irish retail market

The aflatoxin contents of 130 commercial spice preparations, including pepper, chilli, curry powder, cayenne, paprika, cinnamon, coriander, turmeric and cumin, were determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Samples were obtained from various retail outlets in Ireland, including supermarkets, shops and market stalls. Aflatoxin B1 gave the highest incidence of contamination in spice preparations and was found in 20 of the 130 samples. The highest concentration of aflatoxin, 27.5 μg/kg, was detected in a sample of chilli powder; next highest was in a sample of cayenne pepper which contained 18.5 μg/kg. Five samples (3.8%), consisting of chilli, cayenne pepper and turmeric pepper, were above the regulatory limits of the European Union. Aflatoxin contamination was not detected in cumin or cinnamon samples at a level of quantitation (LOQ) <0.2, <0.1, <0.5, <0.3 μg/kg for B1, B2, G1 and G2, respectively.