A new study published in Foods has documented aflatoxin contamination in dried fruits and chocolate products available in Armenian markets, with researchers modeling dietary exposure scenarios to estimate consumer risk.
Aflatoxins are a class of mycotoxins produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, two of the most widespread mold species in stored food crops. Chronic dietary exposure has been linked to liver damage, immune suppression, and increased cancer risk in epidemiological studies.
The research, led by Pipoyan and colleagues, applied probabilistic risk assessment to commonly consumed products. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that low-level mycotoxin exposure through everyday foods is more pervasive than most consumers realize.