PI Name : Dr. Rehana Naseer Total Cost of project : Rs.2690040/- Duration of Project : 18 months Abstract of Project: Mycotoxins contamination is unavoidable and their effective control is a global issue particularly for developing countries. More than 300 mycotoxins have been identified, among them aflatoxins (AF) are of great public concerns due to their high prevalence and teratogenic, carcinogenic, mutagenic and immunosuppressive effects. Aflatoxins (AFs) are widespread in major food crops such as maize, groundnuts, tree nuts, and dried fruits and spices as well as milk and meat products. In Pakistan large amount of these Nuts (peanuts, walnuts, and pistachio nut) contaminated by aflatoxins due to poor management. Number of methods and techniques like microwave, heating, electron beam and gamma irradiation, UV and pulsed light and syntheitic fungicides are in practice. But their use is limited due to factors associated like safety issues, loss of nutrition value, residual toxicity, production of new contaminants, high cost equipment, and unavailability at right time and practical difficulties making them infeasible particularly for developing countries. Plant bioactive component have been recognized for biological activity against different microorganisms. Essential oils have been reported to have cytotoxic potential.
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