Abstract

Introduction: Among the culturally consumed foods in the North and Northeast of Brazil, tapioca gum, derived from cassava, has good popular acceptance, and is used in different culinary preparations. Objective: To assess the presence of aflatoxins in samples of tapioca gum from Manaus. Method: 24 samples of tapioca gum (n=24) were collected from retailers and fairs in the city of Manaus, for the quantification of AFL by means of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), water activity (Aw) and moisture content (mc%). Results: in seven samples, aflatoxin G1 (AFLG1) was detected, representing 29.17% of contamination. The average of Aw was equal to 0.9952 and the mc% was 41.615%. Conclusion: this work presents, in an unprecedented way, the presence of AFLG1 in tapioca gum. The mc% correlated with the presence of AFLG1, while Aw had no effect on AFL. It is not possible to determine the risk of the presence of AFLG1 for human consumption due to the lack of legislation for the product, but the results reflect the manufacturing, storage, and transport practices of local businesses, demonstrating the need for intervention.

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