Aflatoxin G1

One of the four major aflatoxins, produced chiefly by Aspergillus parasiticus, named for the green fluorescence it emits under ultraviolet light — the B aflatoxins fluoresce blue. It contaminates the same warm-climate crops as B1, particularly groundnuts, and ranks as a potent hepatocarcinogen with toxicity similar to B1’s. Total-aflatoxin regulations sum G1 with B1, B2 and G2, and in groundnut contamination G1 frequently dominates the profile. Its presence tells the same story as the rest of the family: Aspergillus grew, conditions were warm and damp, and the lot needs testing before it feeds anyone.