Aflatoxin final quiz – Groundnut Academy

Aflatoxin is just one type of mycotoxin.

True
False

Aflatoxin in a secondary metabolite of fungus. This means …

a) Fungus makes toxin as part of reproduction.
b) Fungus makes toxin as part of normal growth.
c) Fungus makes the toxin as part of normal development.
d) The toxin doesn’t seem to be part of reproduction, growth or development.

Aflatoxin is harmless to animals, like birds.

True
False

When was aflatoxin first discovered?

a) 1640s
b) 1840s
c) 1960s
d) 2010

Aspergillus flavus can produce aflatoxin. What other fungi can produce aflatoxin?

a) Aspergillus nomius
b) Aspergillus niger
c) Aspergillus parasiticus
d) All of the above

There are six types of aflatoxin based on their chemical structures. Which is the most toxic?

a) G1
b) G2
c) B1
d) B2

What conditions are most conducive for Aspergillus infection?

a) End of season drought
b) Insect damage
c) Insufficient drying of the crop
d) All of the above

Which is NOT a health impact of long-term exposure to aflatoxin?

a) Stunting in children
b) Liver cancer
c) Heart disease
d) Jaundice

The European Union has the most restrictive limit on aflatoxin in food. What is that standard?

a) 2 ppb
b) 4 ppb
c) 20 ppb
d) 50 ppb

What is the most reliable way to test for aflatoxin?

a) By smelling the lot for a sour or rotten odor.
b) By looking with a UV light, because Aspergillus glows.
c) By looking under normal light for damaged kernels.
d) Through chemical analysis of a sample.

A. flavus infection tends to spread linearly, so infected kernels often will be in the same area of a field or bag.

True
False

Which is NOT a step in testing for aflatoxin?

a) Collecting a sample
b) Preparing the sample by heating it to 50 degrees Celsius
c) Preparing the sample by grinding it.
d) Adding a solvent to extract the toxin.

When testing for aflatoxin, it’s important to get a representative sample. Why?

a) Testing too few kernels might capture only clean nuts and endanger consumers by allowing contaminated food into the market.
b) Testing too few kernels might capture only contaminated nuts and hurt producers by allowing a relatively clean lot to be rejected.
c) Aflatoxin contamination is generally uniform and spreads from one side of a lot to the other side.
d) A & B

After a sample is collected, it is shelled and ground into a paste or fine powder.

True
False

HPLC often is considered the best analytical testing method because it is highly accurate and quantifies different types of aflatoxin. What is the downside of HPLC?

a) It’s expensive
b) It requires a skilled technician
c) It requires specialized equipment
d) All of the above

Tested twice, the same lot of groundnuts might show two very different levels of aflatoxin. What’s the most likely source of error in testing?

a) Poor sampling technique
b) Poor sample preparation
c) Wrong analytical testing method
d) Groundnuts became more contaminated.

What regions are most susceptible to aflatoxin contamination?

a) Tropical
b) Highland
c) Low land
d) Polar

In the field, the most likely time for fungal infection is …

a) As seeds germinate
b) As the plant flowers
c) As pods fill
d) Near the end of the season

During the growing season, what weather condition is most conducive to Aspergillus infection?

a) Too much rain
b) Drought
c) Wind
d) Low temperatures

Poorly timed harvest is one of the main risk factors for Aspergillus infection. Why?

a) Early harvest means nuts will remain in storage longer.
b) Early harvest may include many immature nuts that take longer to dry.
c) Late harvest means the crop is in the ground into drier seasons, when Aspergillus is favored.
d) B & C

Once groundnuts are harvested, the plants and nuts should be removed from the field immediately and placed directly into storage.

True
False

After groundnut pods are removed from the vine, they should be dried how?

a) In an oven
b) On a tarp
c) On bare dirt
d) There is no recommended way

Groundnuts should be dried to at least what moisture level?

a) 5%
b) 8%
c) 10%
d) 22%

Healthy plants are less susceptible to fungal infection. What is a good production practice that helps groundnut stay healthy?

a) Maintaining enough calcium in the soil.
b) Choosing a variety that will mature before the dry season begins.
c) Weeding and controlling insect pests.
d) A & B
e) All of the above

What is a good way to tell that a groundnut crop is mature?

a) The inside of the shell or mesocarp have changed color on 70% of the nuts.
b) Half the leaves have dried and fallen off the plants.
c) The number of days since planting matches the maturity estimate for the variety.
d) A & C

What conditions discourage fungal infection and aflatoxin accumulation in stored groundnut?

a) Bags sealed and stacked off the floor.
b) Secure storage area free of rodents or insects.
c) Temperatures higher than 35 degrees Celsius
d) A & B
e) B & C

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