16 Archiv für Lebensmittelhygiene 59, Heft 1/2 (2008), 16–19

Archiv für Lebensmittelhygiene 59, 1

16–19 (2008)
DOI-10.2377/0003-925X-59-16
© M. & H. Schaper GmbH & Co.
ISSN 0003-925X
Korrespondierender Autor:
aliaydin@istanbul.edu.tr
Istanbul University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Food Hygiene and
Technology, 34320 Avcilar, Istanbul, Turkey
2
Food Control and Central Research Institute, 16036 Hurriyet, Bursa, Turkey
3
B Type Food Control Detachment Command, Kesan, Edirne, Turkey
Occurrence of aflatoxins in Turkish desserts,
cheese helva and hosmerim
Vorkommen von Aflatoxinen in den türkischen Desserts Käse-Helva und Hosmerim
Ali Aydin1, Harun Aksu1, Ugur Gunsen2, Turgay Mercan2, Nedim Taskanal3

Summary A total of 100 cheese helva and hosmerim samples from 9 different producers in the
Marmara Region of Turkey were analysed for aflatoxins by ELISA. The results were con-
firmed by HPLC/FLD. 8.0 % of the samples were found to be positive for Total Aflatoxin
by ELISA. The concentrations of Total Aflatoxin and Aflatoxin B1 in cheese helva and
hosmerim samples were in the range of 1.23–6.41 μg/kg and 1.07–3.59 μg/kg, respec-
tively. By HPLC, only in one cheese helva (1 %) sample Total AF could be detected at a
concentration of 3.88 μg/kg. The concentrations of the positive sample for AFB1 and
AFG1 were 0.59 and 3.29 μg/kg, respectively. This paper represents the first survey for
the presence of aflatoxins in these traditional Turkish desserts.

Keywords: AFB1, cheese helva, ELISA, hosmerim, Total AF, HPLC/FLD

Zusammenfassung Insgesamt 100 Käse-Helva- und Hosmerim-Proben von 9 unterschiedlichen Produkti-

onsstätten in der Marmara-Region (Türkei) wurden auf Aflatoxine mittels ELISA analy-
siert. Die Resultate wurden durch HPLC/FLD bestätigt. 8,0 % der Proben erwiesen sich
im ELISA als Aflatoxin positiv. Die Konzentrationen an Gesamtaflatoxin und Aflatoxin B1
lagen in den Käse-Helva-Proben bei 1,23–6,41 μg/kg, bzw. in den Hosmerim-Proben bei
1,07–3,59 μg/kg. Mittels HPLC konnte nur in einer Käse-Helva-Probe (1 %) Gesamt-AF
mit einer Konzentration von 3,88 μg/kg nachgewiesen werden. Die Werte für AFB1 und
AFG1 betrugen 0,59 bzw. 3,29 μg/kg. Diese Studie berichtet zum ersten Mal über das
Vorkommen von Aflatoxinen in diesen traditionellen türkischen Desserts.

Schlüsselwörter: AFB1, Käse-Helva, ELISA, Hosmerim, Gesamt-AF, HPLC/FLD

Introduction small businesses in the West Thrace Region of Turkey for

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates
that at least 25 % of the world cereal production is con-
taminated with mycotoxins. Aflatoxins (AFs) are toxic
secondary metabolites produced by three species of As-
pergillus: Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus and the
rare Aspergillus nomius (JECFA, 2001). Aspergillus flavus
produces B aflatoxins only, while the two other species
produce both B and G ones. AFs are acute toxic, immu-
nosuppressive, mutagenic, teratogenic and carcinogenic.
The liver is the most affected organ by carcinogenic and
toxic effects of AFs (Peraica et al., 1999). In the EC Regu-
lation (European Commission (EC) Regulation, 2006)
maximum levels of 4 µg/kg (sum of B1, B2, G1 and G2)
and of 2 µg/kg Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) have been set in ce-
reals and processed products thereof intended for direct
human consumption or as an ingredient in foodstuffs.
The volume of helva production is in the range of
35 000 and 40 000 tons in Turkey. The name helva, which
is also highly popular in the Middle East and North Af-
rican Countries, is derived from “hulv” meaning sweet
in Arabic (Birer, 1985). Although the main ingredients
of helva are mostly wheat flour or semolina, sugar and
oil, there are many kinds of helva. Cheese helva, one of
the traditional cheese varieties in Turkey, is produced us-
ing alternative methods. It is manufactured especially in
family needs and not for commercial purposes. Cheese
helva, a semi-hard cheese variety, has a fibered structure.
Its color varies from light brown to dark, depending on
the processing conditions, and it is produced from cheese,
wheat flour/semolina, sugar, egg.
Hosmerim is a similar product as cheese helva and is a
traditional dessert made locally in Turkey. It is produced
especially in the Balikesir Province of Turkey as well as in
the Black Sea and Middle Anatolian Regions. For com-
mercial production, non-salty cheese, egg, riboflavin,
sugar and semolina are used to produce hosmerim.
Commonly used analytical methods for the determina-
tion of AFs are high performance liquid chromatography
(HPLC) with fluorescence detection (FLD), thin layer
chromatography (TLC) and immunochemical methods
such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
(Lin et al., 1998). ELISA test kits are well-favored as high
through-put assays with low sample volume require-
ments and often less sample clean-up procedures com-
pared to conventional methods such as HPLC and TLC
(Trucksess, 2001).
The aim of this study was to determine the Total AF and
AFB1 levels in cheese helva and hosmerim by ELISA and
HPLC/FLD, with respect to maximum tolerable limits set
in EC regulations and to indicate the importance of con-
tamination regarding public health.