Impact of Aflatoxins Exposure on Human Health and its Management Strategies

Naseem Zahra, Muhammad Hassan Raza, Faheem Hafeez, Muhammad Khalid Saeed, Sabaz Ali Khan, Asma Saeed, Khurram Shahzad

Abstract

Aflatoxins are common contaminants in human food supplies that affects the world's developing economies. These are cosmopolitan in distribution and found everywhere in nature and can grow under drought, warm, and humid conditions. The aflatoxins are secondary metabolites and mostly found in feed and food products. These areoncogenic, mutagenic, and immunosuppressive in nature. On the basis of the aflatoxin producing fungi, the aflatoxins are roughly split into two distinct groups: those that penetrate in pre-harvest circumstances and those that are generated in post-harvest conditions. Aflatoxins exposure has great public health impact in economically developing nations and lot of research is taking place to reduce its harmful impacts; as a result, we need to establish preventive strategies that are feasible for these high-risk populations. This review provides in-depth information regarding the presence of aflatoxins, their analysis, and potentially harmful consequences on human health, as well as various detoxification approaches.