DETECTION OF AFLATOXIN CONTAMINATION AND INCIDENCE OF FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH RED CHILI AVAILABLE IN LOCAL MARKET OF KARACHI, PAKISTAN

Chili (Capsicum annuum L.), a valuable cash crop of Pakistan is cultivated for both local consumption as well as for export. However, its export is being affected by aflatoxin contamination. Many chili consignments have been found to have aflatoxin concentration greater than the allowable limit. In this study, different chili samples were collected from local markets as well as from chili fields for the detection of aflatoxins and estimation of the incidence of associated fungi with chili fruit. Aflatoxin (AF) contamination was determined by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and it was found between the range of 3.2 to 39.2 ppb. However, aflatoxin was found less than 10 ppb in most of the samples. The highest incidence of Aspergillus niger was found in all twenty-one test samples followed by Penicillium spp., Aspergillus flavus, Trichoderma spp., and Rhizopus sp. This investigation showed that the export of Pakistani chili is not at the stack, since more than 50% of chili samples showed the presence of aflatoxin within the acceptable range for human consumption as per US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standard.