Date of Award

2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Ryba, Tyrone

Area of Concentration

Natural Sciences

Abstract

Aflatoxin is classified as a class 1 carcinogen by the International Cancer Research Institute and is synthesized by fungi of the genus Aspergillus, but more specifically A. flavus. While being exposed to significant amounts of aflatoxin can lead to death in acute cases, long term exposure can proceed to conditions such as malnutrition, developmental delays, and immunosuppression; this is accomplished through various aflatoxin metabolites, some of which concentrate in specific parts of the body. Although it is known how aflatoxin impacts the integrity of crops, industries such as those that produce Korean rice wine remain uncertain as to how this mycotoxin can affect fermentation products. From what is known, aflatoxin levels can be mitigated by the introduction of non-toxigenic fungal or bacterial species. During processing, aflatoxin can also be reduced through thermal and chemical methods as well as through irradiation of food stuffs. As aflatoxin continues to be a contentious carcinogen, further research on mainstream mitigation strategies will be required for application to economically developing countries.

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