Abstract
The Japanese official method for analysis of aflatoxins, Kanshoku No. 128, requires large volumes of solvents, is time consuming, and performed by silica gel column chromatography (column clean-up method). Therefore, to clean-up and measure aflatoxins, thin layer chromatography (TLC clean-up method) was included in the modified Kanshoku No. 128. In this study, TLC and column clean-up method were compared with respect to treatment time, clean-up effect and the volumes of solvents for aflatoxins naturally contaminating whole lentils, white millet flour, buckwheat flour and raw shelled peanuts. The concentrations of aflatoxins were higher with the TLC clean-up method than with the column clean-up method for all samples. Recovery (%, N=3) of aflatoxin B1 added to non-contaminated samples (whole lentils, white millet flour, buckwheat flour and raw shelled peanuts) was 91.3% - 96.6% and 88.6 % - 93.6 % with the TLC and column clean-up method, respectively. The volume of solvent used with TLC and column clean-up method per sample was 50.5 ml and 652.5 ml, and the treatment time was 77 min.- 87 min. and 102 min. -125 min. respectively.
