Dubai chocolate, which went viral on social media, quickly began to be sold in all markets and cafes and attracted attention. Nutrition and Diet Specialist Gamze Çakaloğlu, who warns Dubai chocolate about underhanded production, said, “With the influence of social media, the claim of ‘mold and aflatoxin’ in the pistachios used in Dubai chocolate, which has been on the agenda lately, has been put forward. Food engineers have determined that the peanuts used in Dubai chocolate must be ‘grey pistachios’.” “Mold and aflatoxin that can form in pistachios pose serious dangers to human health.” he said.
‘CHRONIC EXPOSURE INCREASES THE RISK OF LIVER CANCER’
Çakaloğlu said that aflatoxin is a toxic compound produced by mold species such as Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Stating that they have devastating effects on the liver, Dietitian Çakaloğlu explained the effects of ‘mould’ and ‘aflatoxin’ on health as follows;
“Aflatoxin exposure can lead to acute and chronic poisoning. In case of acute poisoning, liver damage, jaundice, digestive system disorders and even death may occur. Chronic exposure increases the risk of liver cancer and plays a role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, aflatoxin weakens the body’s resistance to infections by suppressing the immune system. It also causes problems such as growth retardation and nutritional deficiencies. In addition to their toxic effects, molds cause allergic reactions and respiratory diseases such as asthma and bronchitis. “It poses serious infection risks in individuals with weak immune systems.”
‘CONSUMERS SHOULD EXAMIN THE APPEARANCE AND SMELL OF THE PRODUCTS’
Dietitian Çakaloğlu also stated that correct harvesting, drying, storage and processing methods are extremely important to prevent the formation of mold and aflatoxin in nuts such as pistachios and said, “Peanuts must be kept away from humid environments and stored at appropriate temperature and humidity levels. Consumers should examine the appearance and smell of the products. “They should not consume moldy or strange-smelling peanuts,” he said.
DHA