Abstract
Aflatoxin B1 is one of the most hepatocarcinogenic naturally occurring compounds known, produced by toxic species of fungi in different types of food including rice. The contamination of food with this toxin could lead to a series of health problems and huge economic losses. Rice is the second largest quantity staple food and internationally traded cereal. Aflatoxin is produced in areas where climatic conditions are favorable to fungal growth and the production of aflatoxin affects plant growth and rice yield. The aim of this review article is to show and explain the levels of aflatoxin contamination of rice worldwide during the period 2004-2014. In general, aflatoxin levels in rice are low and vary from country to country. However, the high daily intake of rice makes even these lower levels of concern, as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is carcinogenic and has been correlated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence in some countries. In addition to the increased distribution of aflatoxins in rice being addressed, the analytical procedures and the local and global permissible limits for aflatoxins are presented and discussed.